Headlines and Deadlines
by Jbcjazz
Summary: My Novel converted for an AU SVU story. Alex Cabot is a 4th generation reporter whose family helped found the newspaper. With the rise of indie news/blogs, The Sentinel is close to bankruptcy. Controversial reporter Olivia Benson is hired as a last ditch effort to sell issues. One night an anonymous letter arrives for Alex with confession of a murder, and a promise of more to come.
1. Chapter 1

**Headlines and Deadlines**

**AN: Okay first off, I know you will all hate me but I am taking a break on Tame… Please put down your pitchforks and torches. I just need a break with the really sexual stories. I really haven't wanted to write this Newspaper one and prove I am not just a porn writer but a serious author. I will return to Tame at some point, I promise. **

***Reposting after I caught some spelling errors and tried to make things more clear.**

**I own this original story and plot, but not the SVU characters that Dick Wolf owns.**

**Chapter 1**

The sound of machinery echoed off the steel and concrete walls of the original Sentinel printing press floor. The original presses were long ago retired, either sold to other companies, in storage, or thrown out. Newer models replaced the old ones as the years went by, but the standard practice of replacement had been discontinued when it was deemed not cost effective by the bureaucrats upstairs. The smell of machine oil, rusting steel, fresh cut paper, and paint inks created a unique aroma that also was slowly becoming a remnant of the past. Soon to be forgotten by the world.

Old arthritic fingers stained black and covered with a multitude of paper cuts set the print face for the next issue. The deadline had passed the point of no return as the last bit of preparation was finished. With a press of the start button, the rollers came to life and the Thursday edition of this week's Sentinel was officially printed.

Donald Cragen had worked all his life for The Sentinel. From paper boy at age eight, to inker in his teens, to print setting and fixing machines through his early adulthood. Then finally, Manager of the printing presses at midlife. Sadly, newspapers had joined the endangered species list and budget cuts had been made. Former friends and colleagues had been laid off and now though still technically 'Head of the Press,' Donald Cragen was back doing past jobs as well as his managerial ones. Sixty years of hard work and experience had taken its toll on this old man and retirement was just a few days away. Maybe for the best. Donald's heart was broken as he saw that like himself, newspapers have had their time and were now considered obsolete. Though technically not obsolete, Cragen felt deep down that is what he was now. Like the presses, he was too old and not cost effective.

"I love that smell." A voice behind Donald admitted.

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary…" Cragen grabbed his chest and spun around. "Alexandra, how many times have I told you to stop sneaking up behind me?"

"About as many times that I have told you to call me Alex," Alex Cabot teased.

"And that sound…" The young woman continued.

Her blue eyes took in the presses around her before closing them to then enjoy the sound of the machines at work. She took a deep breath, let it out with a sigh and opened her eyes. A sad smile came to her face as her gaze landed on the sweet old man in front of her.

Cragen chortled, "I swear Alexandra my dear you were born in the wrong era. You have an old soul just like me. You are the only other person I know that doesn't own a cell phone and has ink in their blood."

"You mean those cancer causing tracking devices?" The blonde woman walked toward the older man.

"Sounds like you spend too much time around John," Cragen joked.

"Hey he has some valid points. Not about the alien and big foot stuff," Alex murmured under her breath. "But look at all the increased diagnosis of brain tumors, men's sperm production is at an all-time low from the radiation of cell phones when kept in their pockets, and women who for some god forsaken reason keep their cell phones in their bras, end up developing breast cancer. And that's another thing, who uses their bra as a purse alternative?"

"Okay, okay, Munch Junior. No need to go on and on about your conspiracy theories," Don pulled Alex into a hug being careful not to get ink on the young woman's light brown pant suit.

"It's not a theory when there are facts." Alex corrected as she kissed the old man's cheek.

"I swear you went into the wrong profession, you should have been a lawyer with how you argue and always have to be right." Cragen pulled back and smiled at the girl he considered a daughter.

"I don't HAVE to be right, I just always am." The confident blonde smirked.

After an exaggerated mock sigh Don inquired, "So what are you doing down her this late anyway, not that I do not appreciate your company. Ever since the layoffs it gets really lonely here at night."

"I wanted to see you Don," Alex confessed. "I'm worried about you."

"Worried?" Cragen ushered Alex to a pair of chairs near a quieter part of the rusting building. "Alex, I am not running off to a retirement community to romance the old widows in Florida. I am just down the street. I could never leave my family. Just promise me that you'll come keep me company when you find the time between your crusade for justice and truth."

Alex sat on the chair across from Donald and crossed her legs. Ever since her father died this old man had taken her as his own. He was the sweetest, kindest, most honest person she been around. Don was the kind of guy that would put his arm around you and tell you we will get through this together, but would not sugar coat the truth just to protect you from being hurt. He would tell you as it is, but in a kind thoughtful voice. Unlike her boss.

"I am so sorry I have missed our last few dinner dates, it's just…"Alex trailed off in apology. She took his hand into hers.

"Hey, if anyone else understands hard work, it's the old man." Don Cragen pointed with his free hand to himself smiling.

Like the ink marks his hand had left on her small delicate palm, so had the sweet man left his mark on Alex's heart. She knew the pain Donald was going through at being forced into retirement. After his wife's death he would just go to his small home full of memories and little else. Alex was scared to death how Don would handle not working. He rarely, if ever, took a day off and all his old work buddies had moved on or sadly, passed on since their departure from the Sentinel.

"I will always make time for you Poppy," The young woman promised with a tear in her eye.

"Thank you princess," Cragen squeezed her hand.

"You know I hate that nickname," Alex groaned.

"Well, like it or not you will always be my princess," Don reiterated.

Alex blushed but the emotional moment between the two was shattered when the office phone rang.

"Excuse me," Cragen rose with a moan and knees creaking.

The young woman watched the old man enter the office and pick up the phone. She observed as he spoke into the receiver knowing full well who was on the other end of the conversation. Alex looked at her hand covered in the ink finger prints of the printing Manager and smiled to herself. She was drawn from her thoughts and luckily before the tears escaped her blue eyes, when Don sat back in the chair laughing softly.

"Well, that explains why you are down here. Hiding from Liz." Cragen smiled a toothy grin.

Alex rolled her eyes.

"She won't stop bitching and chewing me out about my deadline." She huffed.

"That's her job Alex," Cragen needled.

"I know, but she doesn't have to hound me to death every minute of the day." Alex rose from the old battered chair.

"Going to go face the judge?" Cragen asked referring to Elizabeth Donnelly's nickname.

"I call her the executioner," Alex mumbled before grabbing her satchel and kissing Donald's cheek. "I will call you tonight, k?"

"Looking forward to it." The older man kissed her cheek back.

Alex clicked away on her heeled shoes whistling _Frédéric Chopin's funeral march._

'_Maybe I should have warned her beforehand that Liz was not just wanting an update on the article, but that Alex is getting a new partner as well.' _Cragen laughed to himself as he already imagined what tonight's entertaining phone conversation would be about.

The usually bustling newsroom was eerily quiet. No surprise with it being passed work hours, let alone there only handful of reporters that were left after the 'great purge' in effort to save the paper money. Empty desks outnumbered the occupied. A few lone scattered lights from modems blinked like stars in the vast dark space. At the northeast corner of The Sentinel, the Editor's office glowed bright. It was a beacon of light fighting against the oncoming blackness that threatened to extinguish the dying flame of the Sentinel.

Alex hated the bullpen now. The nickname referenced comradery, action, energy, and even a certain chaotic whirlwind of activity toward a common goal. A beehive with each worker contributing to the betterment of the hive. But now just like neighborhood sandlots and playgrounds across the country, the newsroom floor was unkempt, worn down, and uncared for. Video games and computers replaced scrapped knees and dirt under your fingernails, while cell phones and chat rooms decayed the art of conversation and face to face interactions. Cost overruled experience, and technological advancement exterminated time tested proven methods that now were considered outdated. Alex swore she could walk around bare naked in a room full of people confident that not a one would notice nor even cast a glance at her due to the hypnotic glow of a smart phone or laptop.

Alex looked toward her desk. A desk that was used by her father and grandfather before her. It was an eye sore and a stark contrast to the newer models surrounding it. But the young blonde rebel refused to conform. The wood was chipped and the rain would cause the oak to swell making the drawers stick and refuse to open without a fight. Pen and pencil indentations decorated the tabletop. Alex's favorite activity was to run her finger tips against those imprints. Her dad and grandfather made those etchings in the wood by pressing to hard in their excitement or frustration as they wrote down leads and ideas on to thin of paper. They were a physical reminder of her bloodline and the legacy they left as journalists. They told the story of how the Cabot name became known for integrity, honesty, and devotion to the public it served. No, she would never upgrade to a new cold assembly line desk. Her pencil markings had joined her family legacy and now she was part of the Cabot ancestry. The oaken desk was their family tree. It was the story of the Cabot family and she would die before giving it up.

Alex made her way toward Elizabeth Donnelly's office. The older journalist had devoted her life to the paper her family helped create. Unlike her former partner Alex's father Johnathan, she never married. A family to Elizabeth was an anchor that weighed your career down. The Donnelly family seemed to have politics and ambition running in their blood, while the Cabot family had ink in theirs. They played 'The Game' so to speak, and no one was better than Elizabeth Donnelly.

When Harold Thomas Cabot, Alex's great grandfather first started the Sentinel he needed capital to get it up and running. It was financed largely be the Donnelly's. They along with a few other donors had helped start the newspaper, but now all that was left was the Cabot's and Donnelly's.

Though Harold was the original CEO of The Sentinel, his son Benjamin Franklin Cabot in defiance of his father refused to take over as head of the paper. He preferred to be 'A Seeker of Truth,' then be a business man playing politics. Johnathan Locke Cabot followed his father's footsteps and dedicated his life to become exactly what the newspaper claimed to be, a Sentinel. He risked his family's name, his own life, and even burned numerous political bridges his grandfather had spent years building in the mission to uncover and report the truth with integrity to the people.

The Donnelly family gladly took over the CEO's responsibilities at The Sentinel. Liz's grandfather and father had spent much of their fortune buying the shares from the other investors, until they became the majority owners. Alex's grandfather Benjamin told her as a child that his father was '_rolling in his grave that the Cabot family was outfoxed by those damned Donnelly's._'

Benjamin and his son Johnathan could care less. Unlike the Donnelly's they spread their wealth around in numerous investments and made a comfortable nest egg for their future bloodline to use and help grow. No hard feelings and grudges were ever felt between the sons and daughters of Harold Cabot and Lewis Donnelly. And Liz was very close to Johnathan. Rumors swirled about the two for years, but nothing was ever proven.

Alex looked up to Elizabeth Donnelly. When her mother died of cancer when she was just a child, Liz became the only female figure in her life. Alex suspected as she grew that her father and Liz were more than friends and colleagues, but she didn't let that sour the relationship she had with the older blonde. Alex idolized her father and she greatly admired Elizabeth. Neither pushed Alexandra to pursue the 'family business,' but ink was in her blood.

Alex had the time of her life growing up at The Sentinel. She loved everything about it, and when she started college the young ambitious blonde studied law and journalism. Alex had been inspired by the film _All the President's Men_ and how Woodward and Bernstein helped tell the world the truth of corruption and greed at the highest seat of power. Alex dreamed of accomplishing something similar in her life. Something so grandiose and important that she would be included in the same company when people spoke of the names of the great journalists in history. But then came the day everything change, Johnathan Cabot had been found dead in a seedy motel at the edge of the city.

She buried the loss of her father into the back dark recesses of her mind. It was too painful even to this day to think about her father's death. At the time the local police looked into it but they deemed it a cut and dry meeting gone wrong that led to a homicide. They looked through his notes and talked with the editor at the time, Elizabeth's father, about what story he was working on but nothing came up. It was an _exposé on the___growing popularity of the internet and the risks it presented to the uneducated and the common layman. All leads and sources were checked out and alibis were confirmed. The trouble with decoding her father's notes were that each reporter had their own short hand. A language of their own to save time while writing notes quickly, and for some reason Johnathan used a complex code that no one seemed to be able to crack. Could it contain the identity of his killer he was meeting? Or was it a simple grocery list? Alex had poured over the notes until her mind and heart ached. The young woman developed an addiction that threatened to derail her future. She almost dropped out of college before Elizabeth and Donald both kicked some sense into her. They reminded her that her father would rather she move on with her life and achieve her dreams then drown in the abyss investigating his death or concede to the growing anger and depression. So Johnathan's daughter packed up his notes, and honored his memory by following in her family's business.

The door to Donnelly's office was closed. A placard read '**CEO and Head Editor Elizabeth Donnelly'** and another placard underneath it read **'Knock before entering or else… especially Alexandra Cabot.' **Alex smiled reading the warning. Without even a pause or second thought the smug journalist barged right in. The frazzled and now annoyed editor look up past the rims of her glasses that rested on the edge of her nose that threatened to slide off onto a loose stack of submitted articles from her staff of remaining reporters.

"You summoned me, your Honor?" Alex dramatically entered and curtsied.

"Your Honor?" A feminine but strong voice interrupted the blonde's attempt of getting under Donnelly's skin.

Alex turned her head toward the questioning woman. She did not recognize the short haired brunette that sat in the chair directly in front of Elizabeth's desk. The striking woman's brow was furrowed with confusion.

"Ignore Miss Cabot, Miss Benson," Liz's tone had a firm tension laced with frustration and annoyance. "It's a stupid nickname the staff gave me."

The now identified woman was still quite perplexed at why Elizabeth Donnelly had earned this nickname. It was a natural curiosity that Olivia Benson had since birth it seemed. It drove her mother nuts. If she took her eye of the adventurous child for even just a moment, the precocious little girl would crawl off to explore the world around her. Olivia had given her mother early grey hairs by disappearing on her, only to be found covered in filth and scraps, and once reeking from the spray of a startled skunk. This curiosity fueled Olivia into being an excellent yet wild student, to a dare devil thrill seeking on scene journalist.

"May I ask why?" Olivia questioned.

"It's because when she's pissed, she bangs her fist against the table like a judge with a gavel. The staff got her one for Christmas one year, but she refuses to use it." Alex smirked. "I on the other hand, got her a cigar cutter shaped like a guillotine."

Olivia had the answer now to the 'Your Honor' nickname, but now the guillotine brought a plethora of new questions to her mind.

"Before you ask. It's because unlike the rest of the staff whom call her **Judge Donnelly**," Alex put an over the top flare to the end of the sentence. "To me, she is Judge, Jury, and Executioner."

"Now that I will agree with." Liz's lips upturned slightly.

'_What the hell did I get myself into?' _Olivia thought to herself.

"Alex Cabot, Olivia Benson," The older blonde introduced the young pair. "Olivia Benson, Alex Cabot. I've just hired Olivia to be our newest journalist."

"Call me Liv," Olivia rose from the seat with a smile.

The brunette extended her hand out in greeting, but was promptly ignored as Alex strode past fury in her eyes.

"Are you fucking kidding me? More than half our staff was fired due to budget cuts and now you hire an outsider!" Alex glared her Elizabeth.

'_Bitch.' _Olivia decided, now miffed from the brush off. '_Those eye's though, they are so intense. I have never seen something so blue before.'_

"Alex." Liz warned while returning the glare. "Not now."

The furious young blonde bit her tongue and took a deep breath. She would drop the matter for now.

"You wanted to see me Liz?" Alex ran a hand through her golden hair while gritting her teeth.

Elizabeth chose to ignore the young blonde's snub toward Olivia, and the outburst about hiring her.

"Your article," Liz almost demanded.

Alex rolled her eyes and huffed.

"You have missed your second deadline. Luckily you haven't been scooped by another journalist… yet." The older woman's tone now held a threatening edge to it.

"Do you want a half assed story with enough holes in it to make Swiss cheese jealous, or do you want one that is rock solid and iron clad.?" Alex refused to be intimidated. '_I have my integrity.'_

"I want my fucking story!" Donnelly slammed her fist down hard onto her desk.

This action caused both women to jump slightly, but enough to alert Elizabeth that her point had been made.

Olivia let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. _'So that's what Alex meant about the gavel thing.' _Usually Olivia was more put together and unfazed by outbursts or stressful situations. But spending over a dozen hours on a plane will put anyone off their game. The brunette had followed soldiers in the original Desert Storm as a war reporter, she interviewed former KGB gun runners from the disbanded USSR and the war lords in Africa they were selling too. And those were easy compared to other events that left scars on her psyche. It also put a steel resolve and and trained the inexperience journalist to have iron nerves. But this was supposed to be a simple job to repair her tarnished image after an article backlashed into a major scandal that required the brunette to retract and apologize her statements. What Olivia didn't expect was a no nonsense editor that would make terrorists run scared with a look and attractive blonde bitch with entrancing cerulean eyes.

Alex was now intimidated after her boss's reaction to the lateness of her article. Especially with an audience in the room.

"I… I will have it to you soon, I promise. I just need a little…" The blonde stuttered trying to regain her confidence before being interrupted by Elizabeth.

"Time?" Liz stood from her chair and walked to the window gazing at the city landscape. "Sorry Alexandra, but I'm taking you off the story and giving it to Olivia."

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked surprised. Her interjection was in stereo with Alex's shriek of anger and stunned hurt.

"You can't do that!" Alex screamed out her protest. Her words were accompanied by the Olivia's surprised exclamation.

"Actually I can. As editor-in-chief if I feel that a reporter is not accomplishing his or her duty and I feel a story is in danger of falling apart or being scooped by our competition, then it's my responsibility to make a decision for the good of The Sentinel." Elizabeth turned toward and explained to the young blonde. "There will be other stories Alex."

"Excuse me?!" Olivia tried to interject louder this time but the result was still the same.

"I have never been taken off a story before and it will take a lot more then you to do that Elizabeth," Alex stood eye to eye with the older blonde. "Don't forget I am not just a journalist, but a major stock holder of this paper."

"And I'm the majority Alexandra. Your family may have started the paper but I and my family's money made it what it is." Elizabeth stated, not backing down.

"Made it what it is?!" Alex was stunned at Elizabeth's bravado. "What made this paper what it is, are the hard working journalists who didn't sell their souls and give up their integrity to become goddamn tabloids mongers , bloggers, opinionated blowhards for thirty pieces of silver! Or worse yet, you want to get our newspaper in bed with all the other whores on the internet!"

"Join the twenty first century Alexandra, business is business. We have a product that isn't selling. Supply and demand. We adapt or die, and the old ways don't cut it anymore. The world wants scandals, dirt, controversy, and those opinionated blowhards to either agree with or bitch about. And don't you fucking accuse me of selling my integrity. I earned it in the field working and breaking stories with your father and by myself. You know me better than that." The older woman seethed. "The internet isn't a fad. It's here to stay and it's the future of our business."

"Hey, can we all just take a breath and calm down please?" Olivia begged.

The brunette got up to get in between the two, as she fully expecting the fists to start flying very soon. Little did the new Sentinel employee know that this was not the first, nor the last time an argument between the two hard headed stubborn blondes turned into a full blown fight.

"I thought I did know you better Liz. But then you started laying off our staff because, in your own words, 'we're in the red and we have to make some big sacrifices.' THEN, you get the bright idea to bring our paper into the Social Media Age. Instead of journalists, you want to have know-it-all bloggers and fucking opinion givers. Let's join the other sellouts in dumbing down society by treating them like children and tell them what and how to think. That bullshit is exactly what is polluting journalism and our society. With laziness, manipulation, and corruption. Our job is to report the facts with integrity and let the people form their own opinion." Alex was almost in tears.

She hoped she was getting through to the woman who held the fate of the paper in her hands. Alex truly believed that going down this path could save the Sentinel, but was it worth losing yourself in the process?

"I am trying to save this fucking newspaper Alexandra! What would you have me do?" Liz's exhaustion and frustration was finally starting to show.

Having to battle tooth and nail to save the Sentinel and make the tough decisions that were required to accomplish that goal, was weighing heavily on her shoulders. She didn't have the strength to fight her staff as well, especially Alex Cabot.

"What would I have you do? Well first, I wouldn't replace our reporters with a celebrity media whore like her." Alex pointed an accusing finger at the now offended brunette.

"HEY!" Olivia yelled.

"Second, be the woman that I admired while working as my dad's partner. You WERE a great journalist, now you turned into a bureaucrat, you're nothing but a cold blooded snake oil salesman." Alex was hurting and she wanted to hurt something back. "Dad would be disgusted with you Elizabeth, especially what you're doing to our paper."

Olivia gasped in shock. Alex was holding her cheek as a deathly tense quiet filled the room. A red handprint marked her face. Liz's body was shaking and her hand stung. The elder blonde had slapped Alex, the closest thing she had to a daughter. Something she had never done before, resorted to violence. But the younger woman had crossed the line. Taking a deep breath Elizabeth decided to end this fight now before irreparable damage could be caused between the two. Hopefully it had not already gotten to that point.

"You have two options Alex. Either Olivia takes over the article, OR you work together. I expect an answer in the morning." Liz turned on her heel and stared back out the window doing her best to hide her glistening eyes.

Alex gritted her teeth and turned toward the door. She also was one to hide her emotions and quickly made her way out of the office into the darkness of the bullpen.

"Don't I get a say in all this?" Olivia was annoyed at being ignored by the two women.

"Yes, take the article if Alex refuses to partner up, or leave. I hired you to write for this paper and though you are an experienced journalist, you are a rookie at this newspaper, and I don't think you have luxury to pick and choose your stories or who you work for anymore." Liz shot the short haired woman a hard glare.

Olivia flushed in embarrassment and she had to bite her tongue to keep her anger from spilling out. She needed this job. This was the only offer she had in months and the shamed journalist was starting to collect a stack of rejection letters from the magazines and newspapers that used to beg her to come work for them. This was her last chance. But for some reason she felt extreme guilt in having to take over a story that another journalist had worked so hard on, especially this journalist. Something unnerved her about this young blonde. Alex had made her feel on edge and her heart started to beat faster when she first saw the young woman. Olivia Benson decided to do something she never thought she would do. She swallowed her pride, and went after Alex to convince the blonde to work as partners.

**AN: Okay, I am really nervous about the slap part of this chapter. I feel I need to explain this. Liz is under a lot of pressure, the exhaustion and stress with trying to keep the newspaper from going under, the guilt of having to lay off many friends and employees she spent years with, and then fight with Alex bowled over. Alex also kind of deserved it with her remark. In a professional sense Liz is in the wrong, but the slap was a personal almost mother daughter like relationship. And the consequences of both will be addressed with all three ladies. If too many people feel that it was too far, I will change it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I am just, in awe and thankful you guys liked the first chapter. I really was scared of the reaction to the chapter. This story is really important to me due to the fact it is my novel converted to SVU AU. I know I am really only known as a smut writer so I really am trying hard to be known as more. To go from subpar to decent. I hope you keep enjoying this story. Thank you all. **

**Disclaimer in previous chapter.**

**Chapter 2**

"Hey! Wait up!" Olivia huffed and puffed trying to catch up. '_How the hell can she walk so fast in those heels?' _

This request only seemed to spur the upset blonde to walk faster. Alex hated people seeing her upset, let alone cry. A cold wind blew toward her, an early sign of the approaching winter season. The cold made her inflamed cheek sting. She would never admit it, but she knew she crossed a line with Liz tonight. It was a dirty move to bring up the sensitive subject of her father with Elizabeth. Especially in this stressful time with the paper that both meant so much to them was so close to folding.

Alex suspected something had gone on between the two consenting adults during their time as partners and she could not fault her father if something had. His wife, her mother had passed away years ago before the two journalists had been partnered up. Let alone they grew up together with the common denominator being the Sentinel. You put two passionate hard headed people together long enough and it is more of a question of when, then if they surrender to the sexual tension. The younger blonde was not stupid, nor ignorant. She understood physical needs just like any grown adult. But the one thing she was not so sure of was if the relationship between the two was only physical, or did it mean something more? If the hand print on her face was the reaction to the personal attack against her mentor, then maybe Elizabeth Donnelly at least on her end, felt more for her father then Alex had thought.

"God, will you just stop?!" The frustrated brunette pleaded.

Olivia was breathless when she was finally able to halt the blonde's quickening stride by grasping her arm and forcing Alex to stop. Alex turned to glare at the poor gasping short haired woman now standing by her. The upset woman tried to rip her arm free from the tight grip Olivia had on her.

"Let me go." Alex Cabot warned.

"I will, if you stop with the four minute mile." Olivia took a deep breathe then smirked. "Which would be extremely impressive while in those stilettos."

Alex rolled her eyes and once again tried to wriggle herself free from the other woman's grasp. Like a boa constrictor, struggling only seemed to make it worse as Olivia's grip strengthened around her slender arm. Plus her warm brown eyes and smirk made her stomach fill with butterflies.

"Slow down there Jimmie Johnson." Olivia tried to lighten the mood with her usual joking around.

"Who?" Alex's brow furrowed.

"He's a multiple Sprint Cup Champion." Liv explained.

The blonde just stood their stone faced.

"Won the Daytona 500." The brunette continued.

"I know of Daytona Beach," Alex's expression showed a recognition to the city in Florida.

"Boogity, boogity, boogity," Olivia tried one last time.

"Why are you acting like a ghost?" Alex Cabot asked. While now thinking the woman in front of her is either joking around or was insane.

"What? No, I'm not acting like… look, that's Darrell Waltrip's catchphrase when a Nascar race starts. You see flag wave signaling them to start, and instead of saying 'THEY'RE OFF!' like in the Kentucky Derby he says Boogity Boogity Boog…" The browned eyed sports fan noticed the blue eyes of the woman in front of her glaze over. "Never mind."

The blonde had heard the Sentinel's sports journalist Nick Amaro, mention Nascar a few times while in passing, but sports never really interested the blonde. Especially car racing. Alex always rolled her eyes when people mentioned it, and commented on how can people complain about gas prices when they will watch a sport where thousands of gas guzzling RV's, semi-trucks, and SUV's all come to an event where dozens of cars drive in a circle wasting even more gas.

"Can I go now?" Alex begged.

She was aggravated by this whole night and the woman in front of her was just exacerbating it further. Alex just wanted to go home, soak in a hot bath, drink herself into a stupor and pass out in bed.

"Just, can we like go sit down somewhere and talk?" Liv looked toward the sky. "It's really late, cold and I think it's going to start raining."

"The last thing I want to do is sit down and talk to someone like you." Alex spat. Finally able to wrench her arm free and started to stomp off.

"You don't even know anything about me!" Olivia shouted clenching her jaw and followed.

"Then we have something in common." Alex yelled back as she tried to put distance between her and the relentless brunette. "You don't know anything about me either."

"Alexandra Hamilton Cabot, a third generation reporter and fourth generation employee of 'The Sentinel.' Daughter of Johnathan Locke Cabot, famous for his war correspondent during the final years of Vietnam and the aftermath of the political corruption at the time with President Richard Nixon. Granddaughter to Benjamin Franklin Cabot, the legendary Muckraker during the roaring twenties and helped report the battle between J. Edgar Hoover's and the Italian mafia, Baby Face Nelson, John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, as well as the other notorious outlaws during the Great Depression. Great Granddaughter of Harold Thomas Cabot, founder of 'The Sentinel' newspaper and entrepreneur. Having built himself up from nothing, to become a well-respected admirable businessman." Olivia Benson described the family history of Alex Cabot and their journalistic career.

Alex snorted. She was unimpressed with the brunette's attempt to sound knowledgeable of her family history.

"Wow, so you either read the plaque in our lobby or visited the website Donnelly created about my family and their history at the Sentinel. No wonder you became a journalist. You have excellent investigative skills and I must say that was some damn fine reporting there Miss Benson, journalist of the rich and famous." Alex mocked.

"Looking to get slapped twice in one night?" Olivia threatened in anger while getting as close as possible to those vibrant blue eyes as she could.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Alex refused to back down from the intimidating strong woman in front of her.

Very few people could face off with the 'Ice Queen' and not get frost bite. Olivia Benson though was fearless and a bit reckless bordering on dangerous. She was willing to stand up to anyone that pushed back, and that unwavering courage impressed Alex Cabot. It also caused an intense arousal at the apex of her legs.

On Olivia's side something about the blonde intrigued her. Though Alex Cabot assumed the opposite, Olivia spent the entire flight investigating not just the newspaper to whom she was now employed with, but also its star reporter. Yes, the brunette was an opinionated journalist that much was true, but that doesn't mean she didn't do her research and job without working as hard as possible.

"I'm not surprised." Olivia admitted.

"Alexandra Hamilton Cabot. Graduated high school as valedictorian. She was accepted to Yale, Harvard, and any of the top Ivy League schools, but like her father before her, decided to attend Northwestern University known for its excellent Journalism program. Made Dean's list every trimester and graduated as Summa Cum Laude. Alex Cabot was then recruited by almost every news outlet in the world, but went to work at the family business, The Sentinel. Known for her integrity and willingness to risk her wellbeing to uncover a story. She is fearless and relentless in pursuing the truth. She will put her reputation and career on the line to expose the corruption of the upper class and the elite powerful politicos, while she fights for the lowest classes to get the same treatment, respect, resources and opportunities available to the highest classes. She finds it extremely offensive that the rich get put first in line for justice, while the lower class investigations get shelved as a cold cases. One of the youngest to receive a Pulitzer Prize and has contributed to foundations that help the underprivileged. But she also is a hard ass, extremely stubborn, and is even an opinionated uncompromising bitch." Olivia whispers the last part like it's a secret no one is supposed to know. "That last part I figured out tonight."

Alexandra was very quiet for a moment and studied Olivia. '_Nothing she said is no real secret, its public knowledge, even the last part. But still, it just felt like this short haired cocky frustrating woman could look right into her soul_.'

"So you yahoo'd me. Am I supposed to be impressed?" Alex folded her arms and looked down at Olivia from her lofty heels.

Now it was Olivia's turn to be confused.

"Yahoo'd you?" It took a moment for Olivia to realize what Alex meant.

"Oh! You mean googled you." The brunette laughed softly. "You don't seem to be up to date on current events, or slang."

"So what?! I won't conform like the rest of the brainless zombies following the current fad. What's wrong with being my own person?" Alex defended herself.

"Nothing." Olivia smirked again.

Alex bite her lip and almost pouted for a moment. She hated when people made fun of her because she wasn't aware to the latest crazes, or gossip. Not that she cared to know that stuff anyway, but still it hurt to be mocked about it.

"Look," The brunette sighed and decided to try and get back on track. "I really hate taking over other people's assignments. Most of the time it's because they're sloppy and beyond repair, OR, they worked really hard on it and only gotten taken off it because an editor isn't happy with the direction the story is going in, or they are too obsessed with deadlines and have no patience. I didn't come to take over your job, or anyone else's. I honestly thought I was being brought in to write my own articles not be a backup, and I also didn't plan on being paired with another journalist. I don't work well with others, and I prefer to work alone. Probably the same as you. But can we please just sit down somewhere, clear the air and maybe we can both suck it up and work on this together? Then we can be lone wolves again after the article is finished."

The blonde sighed and took the olive branch that was handed to her. The thing with branches sadly, are they can break quite easily with enough pressure. Alex was too prideful to let one of her stories be taken over. It was hers, no one else's. If it meant that she could keep and finish her story, then she was willing to give a temporary partnership consideration.

"Okay. There's a café at the corner." Alex motioned behind her.

Olivia thought she was walking into a cliché when they first entered 'Up All Night' the café Alex had mentioned just a minute ago. The neon sign greeted the customers by blinking off and on, though half the letters were burnt out. The inside matched the outside too. The stale aroma of burnt grease saturated the air, and it looked like the cook at the griddle probably used the same grease to slick his comb over across his balding head.

"You're kidding, right?" The brunette asked, a bit skeptical of the blonde's choice.

"I'd have thought with you being a writer that you'd know better than anyone, not to judge a book by its cover." Alex remarked.

"Okay, first off you assumed I was talking about this place. Hell, I eat at these kind of places all the time. I am just surprised that a blue blood like you would slum it with the rest of us." Olivia shrugged.

"So you think I wouldn't eat anywhere that wasn't a four star restaurant?" Alex volleyed back. "Hey, I am not the rock star celebrity reporter who hangs out with Emmy, Oscar, and Grammy award winners at a Hilton Suite. I am just a common columnist at the Sentinel."

"Oh please! True, I have a decent amount of money and certain lifestyle, but you are old money. If you choose to, you'd never have to work a day in your life and spend each day lounging by an Olympic sized pool drinking yourself to a new liver." Olivia shot back.

"Alex! Sit your sweet ass down. You want your usual?!" The cook behind the grill greeted with a flirt and wink.

The two women were relieved that the escalating conversation was preempted by the aged café owner. It amazed them that they seemed unable to go a minute without arguing. They chalked it up to the fact they are both very passionate people.

"You know it Stan," Alex answered with a smile as she walked toward a booth.

The blonde slide into one of the empty seats and settled in. She stared up at the woman standing beside her while Liv took in the decor. The olive green vinyl was bandaged up with numerous strips of duct tape, and more than a few springs were collapsed making for an interesting surface to sit upon. The tables were scuffed and the linoleum needed to be replaced decades ago.

"Sit." Alex motioned toward the opposite bench seat.

Olivia grumbled at the almost command. She sat across from the blonde and suddenly yelped when a spring decided to give her a rectal exam. Alex tried to hide her giggle while she received a glare from the brown eyed journalist.

Suddenly another stereotype walked up to the two women. A hardened old woman arrived at their table. She appeared to be gruff and surly to new customers, but in actuality she was warm, friendly, and just as colorful as her husband. The raspy voice caused by years of smoking felt like sandpaper to their ears as she welcomed them to 'Up All Night', while giving both women a glass of ice water.

"Hey Dorothy, how is Stanley doing?" Alex asked with a friendly smile.

"How the hell should I know? I'm too old to turn my head to yell at the thorn in my ass." The old woman pointed to her own backside.

"Oh he is not that bad," Alex assured. The blonde loved the exaggerated dialogue that Dorothy would go on and on about her good for nothing husband. The secret being she loved him dearly. They both had a great sense of humor that Alex enjoyed listening to.

"Not that bad! I've had boils lanced on my ass that were less painful and obnoxious!" Dorothy complained.

Olivia coughed and gasped as she had chosen that inopportune moment to try and drink her water. A hack accompanied a laugh.

"You okay dear?" Dorothy patted Olivia's back.

"Yes," Olivia cleared her throat still giggling. "I'm fine."

"Good, now what can I get you honey? The older woman asked the brunette.

"Um, what desserts do you have?" Olivia inquired.

"Well it's not fresh out of the oven, but I did make my famous peach cobbler I can warm up with some vanilla ice cream?" The lively old lady revealed.

"You should try it. I love peaches. And Dorothy's cobbler is out of this world." Alex recommended.

"I will have that and a cup of coffee please," Olivia decided.

"Good choice, I will bring it out when Alex's order is ready." Dorothy waddled away.

The two slipped into a silent standoff after being left alone. Since their earlier conversation was interrupted by the two colorful characters that ran the 'Up All Night'. Neither wanted to revisit the discussion. Alex wanted to get as much distant from the brunette as she could, even though she was nice to look at. While Olivia wanted to have some kind of agreement with the alluring blonde to work together until they could move on to solo projects and never have interact again.

As the mood started to move from tense into extremely awkward Olivia decided to try and find anything the two could talk about in a civil manner.

"So, it seems like you are a regular here. What's your usual?" Olivia asked actually interested in what this dainty but strong blue blood would order at a greasy spoon like this.

"Mmm," Alex moaned and closed her eyes, while licking her lips to keep from drooling.

Olivia watched the small pink tongue dart out to moisten the painted red lips making her own mouth water, while the moan created a warm feeling to shoot down her spine toward her lower region. The brunette quickly took a sip of the ice water to hopefully quench the rising heat.

"A double jalapeño cheeseburger. It's insanely good. It's so greasy and gooey with cheese and peppers, and they serve it with tater tots." Alex explained.

Olivia's stomach growled as Alex described the delicious sounding hamburger. She decided when Dorothy came back with their food, she would order one for herself. It astonished her that someone with Alex's upbringing would eat something so unhealthy and to be honest, common. Before she could stop herself the short haired spunky reporter put her foot in her mouth.

"Who'd have thought Alex Cabot would leave her lofty tower and risk her reputation in a dive like this while eating something so fattening." Olivia teased, forgetting that so far in her experiences with the blonde, Alex couldn't take a joke.

Alex whispered something to herself while rolling her eyes.

"What did you say?" The brunette narrowed her eyes.

"I said, it's typical." The blonde sat back miffed at the woman across from her.

"What's typical?" Liv inquired with a frown.

"Typical that you'd make a judgment about me and this place. You refuse to investigate anything and find out the truth. You form an opinion before even learning about it, and you validate your opinion that was already tainted by only searching for evidence to support it. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy and I am sure if you wrote an article about this place, you'd do it without thorough research or an open mind. You'd only write your opinion of it with skewed evidence. Just like all your tabloid articles." Alex answered.

"That's the second fucking time you've insulted me with that tabloid bullshit. And I did not judge this place at all, hell I am the one that said I eat at places like this all the time. And how dare you insult my career. I have wrote articles for People, Time, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, and numerous other highly acclaimed news organizations." Olivia defended herself.

"Also TMZ, Playboy, and numerous other skewed news organizations. And you even once appeared on the Howard Stern show." Alex countered. "You aren't the only one that researches."

"I am not going to defend my articles or myself. I am not ashamed by anything I have done or written." Olivia seethed.

"Most sellouts aren't ashamed of themselves." Alex smirked.

"I don't know who you think you are?!" Liv questioned her anger rising once again. "But you're a walking contradiction!"

"So are you." Alex stated with an almost intense calm, like an eye of a hurricane.

Before Olivia could answer back, Dorothy arrived with their orders.

"Here you both go. Now if either of you need anything just yell." Dorothy smiles oblivious to the growing cataclysm about to explode.

"Thanks Dorothy," Alex shows her appreciation without looking away from the intense fiery eyes.

"Oh, before you go. I actually would like to order the jalapeño burger as well. It's just too tempting." Olivia hoped the heat from the peppers could melt the chill she was feeling from the icy look those blue eyes were giving her.

"You got it sweet heart. Stan, another heart burner with crusty taters." The gruff woman called out walking toward the back.

"You know you could've just had half of mine since it is so fattening. I wouldn't want to sully my reputation with the other elite back at the lofty tower." Alex reached for a tot and popped it into her mouth.

Olivia was too exhausted from her flight to fight anymore. She just wanted to eat, head back to her room at the hotel, and collapse on the bed. She also couldn't risk losing possibly this last chance she had working as a journalist because of some stupid bitterness between her and Alex Cabot. Deciding to ignore the attempt by the blonde to get even more under her skin then she already was, Liv took a deep breath and ran a hand through her short hair.

"Look I am in no mood to continue arguing with you. I had a very long flight, and you almost lost your story while being bitch slapped figuratively and literally by your boss. So I am going to make you an offer. Will you at least hear me out?" Olivia negotiated.

"Okay," Alex agreed to listen as she was also tired of the arguments.

Before Olivia could continue Alex took a big bite of her burger and moaned once again in pleasure.

"Sorry, but it's just too good to let it get cold. Don't worry I'm listening, and very good at multitasking." Alex said while chewing.

Olivia couldn't help but smile. Without realizing it the blonde had broken the tension between the two, and she was thankful for it.

"Right, well it seems we are at a standoff. We can't get along, but we are stuck in the same lifeboat without any hope of rescue, unless we help each other. We don't have to like it, but we have no other option then to work together." Olivia explained.

Alex swallowed another bite of her burger before clearing her pallet with a sip of water.

"I won't give up my article." Alex clarified.

"I didn't ask you too," Olivia held a hand up to signal the blonde to allow her to explain better. "I'm saying let's write the article together."

"Look Olivia, I respect the fact that you are willing to swallow your pride and take the high road. You could have just sat there and waited for me to be thrown off the article by Liz without a choice and take it over. You're stuck in the middle of this whole mess and I am not making it any easier. So I will think it over tonight, and in the morning I will let you know my decision at the Sentinel, fair enough?" Alex offered.

"Yes," Olivia could wait until the morning.

Maybe with a step back and a good night's sleep, this whole debacle could be fixed and they can work toward a truce between one another. Dorothy had returned with Olivia's burger, refilled the waters, asked if everything was to their liking and left once again with a smile.

"Good, now eat your heavenly burger and let me finish mine." Alex smiled taking another bite.

"Deal." Olivia took a bite of her burger feeling the heat from the jalapeño, the gooey goodness of the cheese, and the juicy greasy flavor of the meat.

"Dear God, where have you been all my life!" Olivia said to the burger taking another big bite.

Alex agreed and took another bite.

**AN: Thank you SO much to cabson for helping me with beta and the diner scene, you are a god send. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well. If you do some research you will find out that Stephanie March's favorite fruit are peaches and her vice are those burgers at sonic. Any advice, and reviews are always welcome. Thank you guys for support.**


	3. Chapter 3

**H and D 3**

**AN: You guys are so amazing and I am so thankful to have you all as fans and your support. Just… Thank you. Btw I hate Elliott Stabler, Cassidy, and almost every ADA SVU has had except Alex, Casey, and Abbie. So none of the people I hate will be in this story and if need, be replaced by my original characters.**

**I own nothing SVU, just my own plot and dumb ideas lol.**

**Chapter 3**

The keys rattled in the old lock before they finally clicked the last tumbler and unlatched the door.

"I really need to remember to get a new lock," Alex reminded herself.

Alex smiled to herself thinking of how Olivia had assumed the blonde was this spoiled rich debutante socialite. But if the brunette saw the apartment Alex lived in, her jaw would break from dropping so far in shock. '_Maybe I will invite her over if that would happen. At least that way she couldn't talk back and piss me off for a while.'_

After closing the door with a nudge of her hip, the blonde went to hang her satchel on the coat rack near the door, but she completely missed causing it to drop to the floor.

"Shit." The frustrated woman cursed.

She looked down at her well-used and patched pack. It had served her well since her father gave it to her as a graduation present for college. Alex balanced the boxed up peach cobbler Dorothy had packed for her, the keys to her apartment, and a stack mail that was a week's worth thick. The various letters had avalanched out of her bursting mail slot. The blonde awkwardly bent at her knees to retrieve the fallen bag, and she finally decided that karma must be punishing her for some odd reason, as the boxed dessert started slipping from her fingers. Deciding quickly, Alex sacrificed her grip on the mail letting the multitude of letters rain down upon the old wooden floor.

With an annoyed groan the tired writer rose up, left the mail and satchel on the floor, toed off her heels, and walked toward the kitchen to place the cobbler in the fridge. She reached for a half empty bottled water, twisted the cap and guzzled it all down before dropping it in the trash. With a wipe of her mouth with her sleeve Alex padded back to gather the scattered mail. After retrieving the bag and hanging it up, she started sorting the letters.

"Bill, bill, bill, coupon book, bill, Macy's catalogue, bill, junk mail, bi…" Alex cut herself off as she listed the various assortment of letters. Her eyes focused on a letter without a return address.

'_Was this in with the other mail in my box?' _Alex tried to recall. _'No, it couldn't have been. You need the keys to get into any of the mail boxes and only I, the super, and the mailman, have a copy of my particular key. It has no return address or stamp, so it couldn't have been mailed. That means someone slipped it under my door. God, if its Jim again with another love poem I am going to shove it down his fucking throat. He should know by now that I have no interest in him.'_

Alex furrowed her brow when she realized that her name was not written in Jim's usual chicken scratch handwriting, but in block letters. The journalist inside her screamed for her to open it and find out what was inside. A sometimes fatal fault of all reporters was that they all have an over abundant curiosity that never seemed to be satisfied until the mystery is solved. Alex's gut was telling her something was not right about this strange letter, and turning it over only made it scream louder. Even the journalist side of her was silenced in shock at the sentence written on the back.

'_**I am the Who, when you call who's there…'**_

A cold shiver ran up her spine. She had not been home for days. That was a hazard of the career she had chosen. It meant she often found herself passed out uncomfortably at her desk at the Sentinel, or running down the newest lead. Her apartment was a place for her to keep her stuff, but she barely spent much time there. Alex had no idea how long ago this letter made its arrival to her home.

Alex walked over to her sofa and sat the rest of the mail on the cluttered coffee table. She couldn't keep her eyes off the unsettling letter. The young woman made herself jump when she knocked over a stack of books off the side table while reaching to turn on the lamp. She was shaking badly. Alex hadn't had this feeling of dread in her stomach since opening the door that awful morning to find a cop on her front step to shatter her world with the news of her father's death.

Clicking the lamp on illuminated the paling skin of the blonde, and an eerie shadow seemed to fall across the letter out of nowhere. Almost like light itself refused to come near it. Alex continued to stare at the horrifying statement on the back of the envelope in her right hand while her left journeyed to her teeth. A nervous habit she had since childhood, Alex would chew her cuticles. It was her tell when she was nervous.

The temptation was just too much. Alex opened the letter and slide a plain piece of college ruled paper covered in the same block hand writing on the envelope, and also another smaller envelope out as well. The journalist knew that trying to compare the handwriting to would be useless. Each letter was written in almost straight lines and right angles. Most likely with the help of a ruler. Taking a steadying breath Alex started to read the mysterious letter.

'**DEAR ALEXANDRA CABOT,**

**AFTER MUCH THOUGHT ON THE SUBJECT. I HAVE CHOSEN TO BESTOW UPON YOU, THE HONOR OF BEING THE SOLE JOURNALIST TO WRITE MY STORY FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. FOR YOU TO RECORD IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO LEARN FROM, AND HOPEFULLY, ENJOY. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE I TRUST NOT TO EXAGGERATE OR UNDERSCORE ANY OF MY WORKINGS. YOU TELL THE WHOLE STORY IN EACH ONE OF YOUR ARTICLES, AND YOU DO NOT SELF RIGHTEOUSLY OR SELFISHLY STROKE YOUR EGO BY FORCING YOUR OPINOINS AND JUDGEMENT ON THE READERS TO ACCEPT THEM AS FACT. YOU TREAT THE SUBJECT OF SAID ARTICLE AND ITS AUDIENCE WITH RESPECT, EVEN IF YOU ARE DISGUSTED BY THEIR ACTIONS OR DISAGREE WITH THEIR BELIEFS.**

**SO I AM OFFERING YOU A CONTRACT. I WANT TO SHARE MY WORK WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD AND I WANT YOU AND ONLY YOU TO DELIVER IT. THE SENTINEL WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRINT MY CORRESPONDENCES I SEND TO YOU, IN FULL AND WITHOUT ANY CORRECTION. YOU WILL THEN WRITE THE STORY OF WHAT I HAVE DONE, AS WELL AS OTHERS ACTIONS, REACTIONS, AND ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT MY WORK I HAD NOT INCLUDED IN MY LETTERS. IF ANY ANOTHER PUBLICATION OR NEWS SOURCE REPORTS MY WORK, I WILL ESCALAT TO SHOW THEM THE SERIOUSNESS OF MY WISHES TO BE FOLLOWED EXACTLY HOW I WANT. TO SHOW YOU THAT I AM NOT JUST BRAVADO ALEXANDRA, OPEN THE ACCOMPANING ENVELOPE. IF YOU ACCEPT MY GENEROUS OFFER, YOU WILL MARK YOUR APARTMENT WINDOW WITH A RED QUESTION MARK, IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT AN X WILL SUFFICE. I THINK THE NEW CANDY APPLE LIPSTICK YOU PURCHASED AT 'THE CORNER MARKET' WOULD BE PERFECT TO USE IN THIS SITUATION. YOU HAVE UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING TO DECIDE. **

**YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN,**

**?**

**P.S. DO NOT KEEP ME WAITING.'**

Alex realized that she had missed the deadline that was set in the letter from this still unidentified person. It was technically now early Friday morning since midnight passed hours ago. Second, the letter was vague of what this anonymous person was referring to when they referenced it as 'their work.' The blonde hated to assume what it could be. Like a good investigator you never make accusations or conclusions without all the evidence. And just because the letter came off as threatening and that a psycho may have wrote it, it could just be an attempt at gaining attention. Albeit in a horrible creepy way.

But Alex could not help but feel that whomever this was, they meant something sinister. This notion was confirmed after she opened the second smaller envelope labeled 'A Gift'. Inside this one was a Polaroid. Only the white back was visible when first opening the tab. The young woman was shaking. She probably should call the police but what if it was just a photo of a piece of artwork that an eccentric artist was sharing with her and this was his way of garnering interest. But this seemed more then some disturbed starving artist begging for attention who was frustrated by rejection. It was threatening. Without further delay Alex Cabot flipped over the photo and screamed.

"No Ryan, I won't calm down!" Alex shouted running her hand through her hair.

Ever since the blonde called the detective she had been gnawing her fingernails off while pacing back and forth. All the lights had been turned on in her apartment and she had shoved a chair under the knob of her locked front door. She checked each window to make sure it was shut tight, closed the curtains and thanked god she lived on an upper floor.

It didn't take too long for Detective Ryan Jordan to arrive, and after letting him in the terrified blonde shoved the chair back barricading the front door. Usually he was followed by his partner, or as Alex called her, his shadow. Amanda Rollins was a young southern cop that had only recently moved up from Georgia and she was partnered up with the seasoned detective. Alex nicknamed them the Siamese twins, but hence the late hour, Ryan came alone. Normally Alex would have called 911, and not a homicide detective, but after interviewing him on a number of murder cases she developed a respect for the former army ranger. And though law enforcement as a profession are extremely distrusting of the media, Ryan knew he could trust Alex with the truth of an investigation while not putting it in jeopardy. He knew she would never break that trust. Especially since he was helping her try to solve her father's unsolved murder.

"Alex look, there is nothing in this letter other than the escalating comment that can be deemed as threatening." Ryan yawned as he finished rereading the message while trying to stay awake, sitting on the blonde's couch.

"What about the lipstick comment and knowing where I bought it?" Alex pointed out.

"Maybe they just happened to have be at the same store there when you were," He theorized. "It doesn't mean you are being stalked or something."

The annoyed blonde rolled her eyes at the cop's flippant attitude toward this whole situation.

"And the picture?!" Alex pointed to the Polaroid on the coffee table. "He called it 'A Gift.'

"Well technically, we don't know if this person is a he." The detective corrected. "Just saying, it could be a she or a he. And second this could just be a picture of a random dead body, not necessarily did they murder this person."

"Whatever! He, she, them, it, what the fuck does it matter?! This… person did this," Alex growled at the infuriating detective as she threw the photo at him.

"Ryan, that's Nobu Kobayashi! Our number one suspect in my father's death!" Alex yelled at Ryan, as she tried to convey the importance of the revelation in this photograph. "I may never know now that Kobayashi killed my father. I wanted a confession."

"Alex, we can't be sure that this is him. I mean, the body in this photo is severely beaten and he looks more like hamburger meat then human. And who's to say Nobu would have confessed anyway? He is just a person of interest. Not officially a suspect to your dad's murder." Ryan takes the photo that was thrown at him and sets it back on the table.

"It's him, I know it's him. Why else would it be labeled 'A Gift', or then also ask me to be his personal scribe to his work. It's like he thinks that by killing Nobu was some type of favor to me, and now I owe it to him to accept this offer." Alex explained.

"You didn't agree do it, did you?" The detective asked.

"Of course I didn't." Alex rolled her eyes as she started to regret calling the detective over.

"Alex, all I can do is look into any John Doe's that might match the man in this photo at the morgue and check to see if any finger prints or saliva might be on the letters, note and picture. Nobu hasn't been seen since he left court mandated rehab over six months ago. But I will contact his relatives and known associates later today, alright?" Ryan stood taking the evidence with him as he walked to the barricaded door. He slipped the chair free and opened it.

"Fine, thanks for coming over," Alex took a breath and tried to trust he would find something in his inquiries.

"Anytime. Are you sure you don't want me to stay over for the night?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan," Alex sighed as she assumed his meaning. "I don't think…"

"Hey, I just meant I could take the couch and give you peace of mind that you are safe. I'm sure it's just someone trying to get attention." Ryan tried to reassure her with a soft smile. "I will head to the precinct and if anything else shows up, or someone calls, or something happens that seems suspicious, call me or Amanda. You'll be fine, I promise."

"I will. Good night Ry," Alex promised, but immediately regretted using a shortened version of his name. The blonde didn't want to send a mixed signal.

The tall muscular detective bent forward almost kissing her in farewell, but stopped himself when the blonde pulled away.

"Night Lex." Ryan tried to not show his hurt at the brush off.

Alex blushed from Ryan using the nickname he had chosen for her and the almost kiss to her lips. It helped put her at ease that a former soldier still cared enough to try and physically comfort her, but felt relief he didn't push for more. She almost took up his offer to stay for the night, but didn't want him to confuse the need to feel safe into something more. He seemed to be offering more than just protection when he asked to stay over. And neither needed the awkwardness at unrequited love between them. She watched him turn the corner in the hallway before she closed and locked door.

The Sentinel bullpen was slowly filling up with its skeleton crew staff as the sunrise streamed through the bay windows. The life blood of the paper was percolating in the break room while conversations between the half asleep employees consisted of grunts and groans. The living dead writers shuffled toward the urn filled with French roast. Slowly but surely the caffeine did its job and the Sentinel came to life. Except for one weary blonde. Alex sat at her desk with head in her hands, her hair was in tangles and her eyes were bloodshot.

"Wow Alex, you look like shit." A familiar voice beside her joked.

The quick witted journalist would usually fire back with a smart quip or a playful jab toward the young mailroom worker. But after everything that happened last night dragged into early in the morning, she was in no mood for playful banter. Not to mention the squeaking wheel on the mail cart was giving her a migraine.

"Word of advice Ken, make sure you know the temperament of the person you make a joke about. Otherwise you come off as an asshole like Michael Richards." Alex spoke through gritted teeth.

She really did like the kid. Hell, she was the one who got him the job as a favor to Fin. But he caught her on a very bad day.

"Woah, um sorry Alex I didn't mean anything by it." The young man apologized. "Are you okay?"

"No Ken, I'm not. And it's me that should apologize. Sorry for biting your head off. I just had a rough 12 hours." Alex explained.

"Want to talk about it?" Ken asked putting his hand on her shoulder.

Alex rose her head and smiled at the sweet boy. His skin was like his father's. It was light brown but unlike his dad, his hands and demeanor were soft. She had never seen Ken not perfectly groomed. The blonde always joked the boy was her little metro sexual milk chocolate treat when he came by everyday with the mail.

"Thank you for the offer Ken, but this is kinda personal. How about later today I take you out for lunch, my treat and you can tell me how night school is going." Alex offered.

"I will have to check my schedule, but I am sure I can find time for a pretty girl like you." Ken smirked.

"Charmer," Alex winked back.

"I better get back to work before The Judge puts me in contempt." The boy reached into the cart pulling out Alex's mail. "I think you finally got the transcript from the Maclin hearing. You know that there's a thing called email, right?"

"You know that thing called email is slowly taking your job away from you, right?" Alex countered.

"It can have it, cause when I get my GED I am finding a real job." Ken started to roll the cart away.

"After you get your GED you are going to college Ken. Remember I nominated you for the Cabot scholarship!" Alex called out to him.

"Can't hear you!" The young man sang mockingly back.

Alex shook her head for a moment before her migraine shrieked at her to stop. The blonde reached for the parcel containing the transcript. She lifted it and started to undue the clasp but noticing a letter underneath it. The blood drained from her face and her stomach dropped to her feet. Written across the front was her name in block lettering.

'_Oh god no…'_

She knew she should call Ryan before opening the envelope, but as she reached for the phone at her desk, Alex paused. Going against her better judgment and her curiosity winning out, the anxious blonde ripped open the seal. Numerous thoughts formed in her head of what was inside the letter. Before she chickened out Alex pulled out two items. One was a 3X5 index card, and the other was a picture of a beautiful woman.

Alex sighed in relief as the woman in the picture was alive and smiling. Her gaze was to the left of the camera lens. She looked like a business woman and was dressed in a black pant suit while holding an attaché case. The part of the picture that unnerved the journalist was it looked like blurry branches were framing the woman the camera was focused on. That most likely meant this woman was unaware of having her picture being taken, because it was taken at a distance and that her photographer was maybe hiding being some sort of foliage.

The index card only had three sentences written on it. And it was the last sentence that made Alex Cabot become sick and heave into her trash can.

'_**Ignore me once… Shame on me,**_

_**Ignore me twice… Shame on you,**_

_**Ignore me again… Shame on her.'**_

Elizabeth Donnelly tapped her fingers on her desk as she looked over the picture of the mysterious woman in the photograph. Like the frazzled reporter who was sitting in front of her, Liz was clueless at the identity of the auburn haired woman. When Alex first stormed into her office and slammed the door shut, the older blonde had thought it was time for round two of their fight. But instead of anger there was just fear in the young woman's eyes. Alex was pale and shaking like a leaf. She handed her editor a strange envelope, and without a word sat quietly looking like she was about to be sick. Liz quickly called her assistant to bring in a carbonated drink for the disturbed journalist.

Seconds seemed to inch by as Elizabeth lifted the index card to contemplate its meaning. Alex's slender fingers rubbed at her temples, as she tried to soothe the worsening migraine. On the desk sat a barely touched bottle of soda water in case she needed something to settle her stomach.

"Judging from the statement in this message, this isn't the first correspondence from this individual you have received?" Liz looked up from the card.

Alex shook her head.

"No. Last night when I got home I found one in my mail, well I thought it was in my mail, but it could have been slipped under the door."

"So you got what I will assume was the second letter last night?" Liz inquired.

"Second? No, it was the first." Alex corrected.

"Okay, but this basically states you ignored whomever this is, twice." The older woman pointed to the card.

"I only got the letter last night, this was the second." The younger blonde explained. "Maybe it was just warning me that if I ignored their NEXT correspondence this women could get hurt."

"Maybe. What did the first letter say?" Liz asked.

"Basically that I was chosen as their personal journalist to record their work for future generations. It was vague and bizarre and I was supposed to make a mark on my window if, I accepted or refused the offer." Alex recalled.

Alex almost revealed the existence of photo that was included in the first envelope, but she decided to keep that secret for now. The younger blonde did not want to bring up the tender subject of her father for a second time this soon after their fight last night. Especially since the photo possibly showed the butchered body of the man that might have killed her father. The offer to write about this person's 'work' is one thing, Alex wasn't threatened in either letter. But the connection of Johnathan Cabot's murder would definitely push Elizabeth Donnelly into protective mode. If the older woman found out about that picture, she would not just take the young blonde off the article, but lock her away until this psycho was caught. Elizabeth might not be her mother and even if Liz was furious with her, Alex knew that the woman loved her just as much as she loved Johnathan.

"So you had a deadline of one night? The tone to me suggests you ignored him more than just a few hours. Maybe he tried to contact you before and you just didn't get it? Do you have the first letter with you?" Liz once again picked up the letter to study it, her journalistic nature returning to her.

"No, I called Ryan right after I opened it and he took it to the precinct to see if he can get anything from it." The blonde stood and walked around the office. "Also we don't know definitively if this is even a he."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the correction from the younger woman at assuming the author of the letters was a he.

"You called your boyfriend over?" The former reporter looked at the picture again.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Alex shouted in annoyance. "I just called him because Ryan is a cop. And I needed someone to come over to help me."

"You could have called 911." Liz stated.

"Liz, I am not in the mood for your usual teasing of my huge mistake of sleeping with him." Alex growled.

"I never slept with a source." Elizabeth admitted. "And when that source was Ryan Jordan, you deserve the mocking."

'_Yeah, you just slept with your partner, my dad.' _The young woman said to herself.

"Look, I don't even know when the first letter even came. I haven't been at home all week. I have spent the last few days living in the bullpen working on this fucking article." Alex tried to get back on topic.

"Okay, so possibly this guy," Liz corrected herself before Alex could. "I mean this individual, sent you the letter earlier in the week and expected an answer by now. Maybe after a few days he got discouraged and tried again to get your attention?"

"I can't recall anything other than these two letters." Alex thought back.

"Well how about you follow your footsteps the last few days or places you usually visit to see if maybe you missed something." Liz advised.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." The blonde agreed.

"Just be careful Alex, please. I don't need to lose you as well." Elizabeth looked up her eyes fearful. She already lost Johnathan, and she'll be damned to lose his daughter too.

Before Alex could reassure her a knock on the office door begged for entry and the visage of the newest hire was visible through the window.

"Come in." The editor answered.

"Hey, sorry I am late. Jet lag and a late night don't allow for early rising." Olivia apologized as she entered the office.

"Understandable, but don't make a habit out of it." Liz warned.

"I won't Miss Donnelly." The brunette promised.

"Good, but call me Elizabeth or better yet Liz please." The older woman asked.

Olivia nodded before turning and greeting the other woman in the room.

"Jesus Alex, you look worse than I do." Olivia pointed out.

Alex narrowed her blue eyes at the empathetic brown ones of the woman beside her.

"Did the burger make you sick or something?" Olivia wondered. "You look like you spent the night with a porcelain rim."

"No. I'm fine." the younger blonde snapped at Olivia.

"Hey, I am just trying to be nice and make sure you're okay." Olivia avoided any further inquiry as she could sense the 'fuck off' vibes sent her way by the blonde.

Olivia sat in the chair Alex had just earlier inhabited and looked toward her knew boss. She saw a few papers spread around Elizabeth's desk but noticed that the editor's attention was focused toward two small items. A 3X5 index card, and a photo.

"Do those have to do with Alex's article?" Olivia pointed toward the two objects.

"No!" Alex quickly took both items back from Liz and stuffed them back in the envelope. She slipped it into her satchel and hide it away.

Elizabeth rose a brow in wonder at her young journalist's suspicious behavior. She was about to ask why Alex was hiding this information from others since she willingly shared it with a police detective and herself. But before she could speak, Alex looked at her pleading with her eyes to please keep this between them for now.

The paranoid nature of a journalist isn't surprising. It's a profession that thrived on scooping stories before anyone else. So hopefully Olivia would just assume that it was usual behavior of a reporter hiding sources or something in that vein. Alex didn't trust Olivia. She also didn't suspect that it was her behind the letters, although it was a weird coincidence that they arrived the same time as Olivia did. But she could definitely see the hot shot star reporter thinking this was a juicy story, write an article about it, and possibly anger this individual more than they already were in doing so. It did say they only wanted Alex to write about it and if another did, could this woman in the photograph be hurt in retaliation?

Olivia was suspicious of course, but right now she had her own problems to worry about, like not getting fired from the only job available to her. Don't rock the boat came to her mind, at least not yet.

"So, um where are we on this mysterious article?" Olivia decided to get to the point of the meeting and realizing she knew nothing of Alex's story.

"Well I have decided that Alex is dropping the article to you Olivia," Liz told.

"WHAT?!" Alex screamed. "I thought it was my choice? And I am keeping my damn story. It's mine."

"Right now I think you have other things to focus on." Liz gave her reporter a look.

"How about we calm down before things get out of hand like last night?" Olivia tried to be negotiate peace once again.

Knowing that the stubborn young blonde will never give up her article, Liz decided that if the two women were somehow able to work together, then Alex could also keep an eye out just in case this person behind the letters was capable of doing more than just getting attention.

"Alexandra, I will only agree for you to be involved in this article, IF you work with Olivia. Is that clear?" Elizabeth explained.

"Fine," Alex sighed. "If it's the only way to keep my story I will work with her."

Honestly, she was a bit relived to have some help. She would never admit it out loud, but this whole letter thing unnerved her and something deep inside her told her that it would require most of her attention. She didn't want the guilt of this woman's life on her shoulders if something happened to her.

"Well Olivia, you got your first story with the Sentinel. And both of you got a new partner." Liz smirked knowing that this partnership had only two possible outcomes. They would be the next Woodward and Bernstein, or kill one another. Either way, it will sell some papers.

**AN: I hope you got at least SOME chills with this chapter. I really am nervous I can't right suspense and tension. Thank you all for your reviews and support.**


	4. Chapter 4

**H and D 4**

**AN: I've got some PMs and I know some people might not like that it took three chapters for Olivia and Alex to FINALLY get partnered up, but you have to understand. They just met twelve hours ago. And at least ten of those hours were spent away from one another. They had the meeting at the Sentinel where Alex was too busy fighting with Liz, and the diner scene together where it was tense and they fought too. That is it. I had to set up the foundation of the letter story line. And you are supposed to wonder who to trust and who not too. It's a whodunit and I still have many characters and suspects to get too. Please everyone give me a chance to get things going. Chapter four is about the two women starting their partnership, learning about one another, and we will get into Olivia's life and her story that almost destroyed her career in the near future.**

**I hope the people that are staying with me are enjoying this… If not, I will got back to tame. I promise. Warning, this chapter is mainly dialogue.**

**I own my original story and my original characters. Dick Wolf and NBC on SVU.**

**Chapter 4**

Olivia felt like the little sister to an older sibling that got stuck by their parents into bringing her along while Alex went to the mall. She followed the tall blonde who seemed to be trying her best to get away from the brunette once again.

'_Déjà vu.' _Olivia thought to herself.

Even with agreeing to work together, Alex hoped that maybe if she ignored her long enough, Olivia would get upset and go away. She knew better though.

'_Still, it wouldn't hurt to try._' Alex thought to herself, then remembered Olivia's threat of slapping her like Donnelly did. '_On second thought…'_

"Oaf," the short haired woman grunted as she collided into Alex's back. "A little warning would be nice. It's not like you got break lights on your ass."

The blonde whipped around almost smacking Olivia's face with the golden locks.

"What's with the jokes?" Alex asked. "It's like everything you say is a one liner or some kind of sarcastic remark. Were you the class clown? Is it a defense mechanism?"

"What's with the attitude? Olivia countered. "It's like everything you say is an insult or some kind of disparaging remark. Were you the class bitch? Is it a defense mechanism?"

Once again the two were at a standoff. Alex finally relented and sighed. She had too much going on to fight with her new 'partner.' Partner. Alex Cabot had her first and hopefully last temporary partner. '_Maybe if I give her busy leg work she and I will not have to interact much.'_

"I will show you your desk." The blonde spun back around and directed Olivia to the desk Elizabeth assigned to the new journalist of The Sentinel.

Olivia was surprised that Alex didn't fire back at her and that she took the high road this time. Deciding to not take a gift horse in the mouth, the brunette let Alex take her to her new desk.

Alex was angry about being paired with Olivia, but having Liz assign the brunette to the desk next to hers, made the blonde furious. In Alex's mind her boss might as well have handcuffed them together. '_Maybe Liz wouldn't have put it passed me to gnaw my hand off to get away from her.' _She smirked to herself.

"Here is your desk." Alex pointed at the stainless steel framed desk.

On one side sat an LCD screen on the faux wood top, with the system unit next to it. A multi office line phone occupied the other side, while below the desk had three locking drawers and a small lap drawer for small office supplies. Olivia had been in enough offices to know that she needed to find the supply closet to get a stapler, pens, pencils, paper etc.

"Is that yours?" Olivia pointed at the oak desk.

"Yes it is." The blonde answered.

The brunette watched as her new partner sat and stowed her satchel underneath the antique desk. The blonde struggled to open one of the stubborn drawers, when almost without warning it popped open with a loud bang. Alex sorted through a number of files before pulling an obese manila folder a couple folders out, then shoved the drawer back closed with a huff. A pair of blue eyes looked up to see a pair of brown watching her with curiosity.

"Yes?" Alex asked raising a brow.

"Um, why is it… older, then the rest?" Olivia inquired.

"Because it is." Alex simply stated as she stared at her new partner.

"I know that. I was just wondering, why you don't have a new… one…?" Olivia trailed off due to the look the blonde was giving her.

"Because I like my desk." Alex stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh." Olivia knew that there was a longer explanation then that but decided to move to her second question. "Where's your computer?"

"I don't have a computer." Alex answered as she lifted the heavy folder and dropped it onto the brunette's desk. The bang echoed throughout the office.

Olivia stared with big eyes at the folder held together by a few rubber bands. Suddenly she remembered their first conversation and Alex not knowing the right term for 'googling.'

"Oh, now it all makes sense. You don't HAVE a computer. Wait, you don't have a computer? How do you check your email and stuff?" Olivia wondered. "Wait, you don't have A computer? Or you are pulling my leg and you use like an expensive super powered laptop or something?"

"Which question do you want me to answer first?" Alex smirked.

She was actually enjoying the brunette's babbling confusion and trying to make sense of things. It was like watching someone try to solve a complex math problem and kept getting stuck on the next step.

"The computer one I guess, because that solves the rest of those other questions…" Olivia trailed off as she snapped one of the rubber bands. "And then you can tell me why you put a folder on my desk that contains so much paper, that it MUST have come from a red wood tree."

"I already answered the first one." Alex huffed. "I. HAVE. NO. COMPUTER."

Olivia was stunned in silence. Not sure how to answer that revelation.

"And THAT former red wood tree as you put it," Alex pointed to the folder. "Is my article."

"NO FUCKING WAY!" Olivia exclaimed. "You can't be serious. Look at this thing!"

The brunette lifted the folder and weighed it in her hands and dropped it again.

"What about it?" Alex asked.

"What the hell could you be investigating that would require THAT much paper?" Olivia pointed to the heap on her desk. "And why not just put it on a USB drive or someth… right, no computer. What do you type with?"

"That." The blonde pointed to an old typewriter on the far side of her desk.

"I thought that was a paper weight." Olivia joked. As soon as she saw Alex's face, she regretted it.

Alex's emotions were battling inside her. One emotion being rage and wanting to ring the jokester's neck at her insensitive comment. The other was sadness. Sadness at the remark made about her father's typewriter. That is was just a paper weight. A tool he used to craft his eye opening, mind pondering articles. The tool that was an extension of himself. The very typewriter he wrote that helped report the major events of his lifetime, and how he made a difference with his words. She called it a paper weight.

"That supposed paper weight," Alex fought desperately not to cry or let her anger escape. "It was my father's."

"Alex, I'm sorry. I… I didn't know." Olivia felt like an asshole, especially after the lame apology. She watched as the blonde turn and make her way to her chair. She took a deep breath to compose herself.

"It's fine. You are forgiven. You didn't know." Alex just wanted to move on from this uncomfortable moment.

Olivia almost continued to apologize but when she looked deep into her partner's blue eyes. She swore they spoke to her. Told her to please drop it and move on. Olivia had a feeling though, that Alex had never moved on. She read about Johnathan Cabot's murder, and after witnessing the emotional fight between Alex and Elizabeth explode when Johnathan was brought up, Olivia knew that it was best to listen to her gut and drop the issue, for now.

"So, the article." The brunette started to get down to business. "What are we investigating partner?"

Alex rolled her eyes.

"We are investigating Gregory McDaniel." The blonde motioned for Olivia to open the file.

"Why does his name sound so familiar?" Olivia asked as she pulled the rubber bands free and opened the folder. A photo of an older balding man. She estimated his age to be mid-fifties, and he looked important.

"You wouldn't happen to be Catholic?" Alex questioned.

"No." Olivia answered. "God and I aren't on the best of terms. WAIT! Gregory McDaniel! Not Cardinal Gregory McDaniel? Of the Catholic Church?"

"Yes him," Alex smirked.

"What would Cardinal Gregory McDaniel whose known for his charity work and who was awarded by the President for his work with children, be guilty of?" Olivia turned the pages in the folder as it showed various pictures and articles about him. "Before he was a Cardinal, he was known as the Crusader Priest who dedicated his life to helping reform foster homes and orphanages. Oh God, don't tell me he's a molester."

"Thank God no. Plus that kind of thing isn't even news worthy anymore. What is newsworthy though, is he is one of the few NOT to have been accused of pedophilia. But that doesn't mean he isn't a criminal." Alex explained.

"What did he do? Skim off the top of the collection plate?" Olivia lightly joked.

"Nope. In truth he hasn't been accused of any kind of misdeeds. Not even a parking ticket." Alex spoke while opening the parcel that Ken delivered earlier. She smiled at its contents.

"Okay, before this starts into a game of twenty questions, what DID he do?" Olivia asked.

"He runs an international drug running, deals in illegal arms, money laundering, and black market organization." Alex revealed.

Olivia was stunned. "No way."

"Yes way." Alex rose, bent forward and dropped the packaged item onto Olivia's now crowding desk.

The brunette picked up the large stack of papers that sat next to Alex's file on McDaniel.

"The U.S. Attorney's investigation into Robert Maclin and his criminal hearing." Olivia's brow furrowed reading the name on the front page of the transcript. "What's this have to do with Cardinal McDaniel?"

"Well, you can read my portfolio on the McDaniels and the court transcript to find out." The blonde smirked again.

"Oh great idea, by the time I'm done I will be collecting social security." Olivia flipped through a couple pages hoping to find just what Maclin was charged of doing. "Can you just give me the basic gist for now? Because honestly, I could be a big help with this. I have interviewed and wrote many articles about these crimes around the world, especially in war torn countries. I have connections."

Alex bit her lip and thought to herself. '_I really could use some international connections to solidify my article.'_

Before Alex could explain Maclin's connection to McDaniel, Elizabeth Donnelly's voice barked from her office demanding for Alex to 'get her ass in here right now!'

The blonde groaned wondering what the hell she did wrong now in her editor's eyes.

"If you will excuse me for a moment please, apparently I need to get my ass chewed out." Alex got up and strode toward Elizabeth's office

Olivia could not stop herself from ogling her new partner's backside as she made her way from the brunette. Alex Cabot fascinated Olivia. She was such a contradiction. She was a so frustrating and made riled her up worse than anyone ever had before. She was judgmental, arrogant, a know-it-all, and simply acted like a spoiled cold bitch, but she was also devoted to her job. The blonde never sacrificed her integrity and she fought for fairness, equal opportunity and the justice. Seeing her emotions and love for her father when she spoke of him made her jealous she never had that kind of relationship with her mother. Alex was not a cold, or spoiled, but she was a bitch. A respectable bitch. And ever since Olivia met the blonde, she could not stop thinking about her. The brunette's body was exhausted but her mind and libido would not let her sleep last night.

They were so similar but so different. Night and day. Fire and Ice. And right now as Olivia watched the cool stride of Alex in her stilettos. And what those heels did to the blonde's legs, and how the skirt suit hugged her ass and curves, Olivia was definitely feeling the fire.

Olivia decided that she should start reading some of the plethora of papers that Alex had conglomerated into what would later become the article that they were both now working on. As she read about the investigation and hearing of Daniel Maclin, she rocked in her new chair kicking her leg that was across the other. She paused when her toe came in contact with a semi hard object and she heard something fall over and items spill out. The short haired journalist bent over to see what it was that she had accidently knocked over was her new partner's satchel. Olivia saw a few pens and pencils, a hair brush, lipstick, a mole skin notebook, and the letter Alex had stuffed into her bag a bit too quickly when asked about what it and its contents were.

As she gathered the scattered items back into Alex's satchel she froze when her hand grazed the letter seeing Alex Cabot in block writing on the front. A photo was peeking out and tempting Olivia to pull it out. The young woman had conflicting thoughts. She knew it was none of her business and to just shove it into the bag and forget about it. But just like when she was a kid, she could never stop her curiosity. Even after years of timeouts, spankings, and detention she never seemed to be able to control herself. And that curiousness was even more peaked, since whatever it was caused Alex to become so bothered.

Olivia's curious nature couldn't take it anymore, she needed to know what in that envelope contained. It's not like Alex would ever find out she had snooped in her stuff. She pulled the photo free. As she studied the red headed woman the brunette couldn't fathom why it would cause her new partner to be so frazzled, and to have needed Elizabeth's expertise on the matter. Olivia pulled out the 3X5 card hoping this could help solve this mystery, and after reading the message it only deepened it. Taking out her iPhone Olivia snapped a few pictures of the photo and the card, before hurrying and stuffing them back into the bag and setting it back against the oak desk. Maybe she could solve this mystery.

"What are you doing under there?" Alex called out causing the brunette's stomach to drop and jump hitting her head on the underside of her desk.

"OW!" Olivia yelped and crawled out holding the back of her head.

"Oh, sorry. Are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you." Alex helped Olivia to stand. "I was just curious why you were crawling under your desk."

"I uh, was… um." Olivia stuttered trying to think of an excuse, noticing her cell in her hand.

"Oh! I dropped it and couldn't see where it went. So I had to crawl under to see if it was under the desk, and guess what, it was! But yeah, I'm fine. Just making a fool out of myself." Olivia rambled on with a smile.

'_God she's cute when she smiles._' Alex mused. '_Where the hell did that come from?'_

"As long as you are okay." The blonde furrowed her brow confused at her own thought.

Olivia misunderstood Alex's expression thinking maybe she didn't buy her excuse. She had to think fast and change subjects. The short haired nervous woman felt like what she did was written all over her face.

"Oh don't worry, I have a hard head." Olivia tapped her head with her fist. "OW!"

Alex snorted trying to hold back a laugh.

"Glad my pain amuses you." The embarrassed brunette said.

"Eh, only a bit. More like I'm amused by your attempt to prove how tough you are, only to hurt yourself again. Pride seems to be your sin, Miss Benson." The blonde teased.

"Possibly, what's yours Miss Cabot? Vanity? Maybe envious of my good looks?" Olivia posed.

"Okay, I think that knock on the head scrambled your brain even more that it already was." Alex said. "Plus vanity is not a sin, it's basically pride. And though I admit you are nice to look at, you just proved my point of you being prideful."

All the brown eyed woman could do was smile. She caught the compliment Alex had gave her, and was fully aware that the blonde didn't even realize she said it. '_Possibly a Freudian slip?'_

"What are you smiling about?" Alex asked. "I basically insulted you."

Olivia's smile turned to a smug grin.

"Insulted me?" Olivia rocked in her chair. "Admitting I was nice to look at isn't insulting, it's flattering."

It was a good thing Olivia had her phone out because her new partner's reaction was perfect black mail material. Alex was as red as a tomato and was doing a pretty good job of imitating a guppy. The blonde was suddenly pulled out of her stupor by a flash and a sound of shutter click.

"Did you just take my picture?" Alex accused.

"Maybe." Olivia started to type on her phone.

"What are you doing?" The blonde inquired.

"Just posting the pic of my new partner on my Facebook page." The brunette smirked.

"Give me the phone right now." Alex demanded.

"Nope. It's too late anyway." Olivia turned the phone showing her page. "Posted."

The picture of the blushing blonde was captioned with 'My new partner says I'm nice to look at!'

"Oh look! It already got a like!" Olivia smiled.

"I don't even know what that means, but erase it now!" Alex demanded.

"Oh you know the internet, once it's on there, it's on there forever." The brunette teased.

"You're a bitch." Alex glared.

"No, I am the class clown." Olivia corrected.

"You're insufferable." Alex continued.

"I can be, but maybe we should get back to our article." Olivia decided that she had distracted Alex enough to forget about almost getting caught snooping.

"Fine." The blonde agreed with a glare.

"So you were about to tell me what the connection was between Maclin and McDaniel?" Olivia focused her attention on her partner.

"Robert 'Robbie' Maclin was arrested for possession of illegal weapons and distribution of said arms to gangs. Since sale of the weapons had been across multiple jurisdictions and state lines. The ATF and FBI worked together with the US Attorney's office to try and garner more information on how he got in possession of these guns. They also suspected that was not all he was dealing. He was suspected of selling drugs as well." Alex leaned over Olivia's shoulder and thumbed through a couple pages of the court transcript until finding the section on the investigation.

"So you think that McDaniel was somehow involved in this distribution?" Olivia wondered and turned her head almost inches from Alex's ear. She failed to see a connection, or any evidence of a powerful highly celebrated Cardinal.

The brunette felt the blonde tresses falling and tickling her ear. It was getting harder to concentrate as Alex's breasts pressed against her shoulder. Swallowing hard Olivia forced herself to pay attention to the details her new partner was giving to this possible once in a life time article. '_She smells like cocoa butter and coconut oil...'_

Alex on her hand was trying not to shake as she felt Olivia's warm breath on her neck. '_God, I hope she doesn't feel my nipples pressed against her back. Dumb move Alex. You need to move soon...' _The blonde told herself. But she just couldn't do it. Her feet refused to move, nor her body. _'What scent is that she is wearing? Almost smells like sandalwood, but there is something else… Amber perhaps.' _Alex shivered taking in the earthy spiced essence.

"I'll get to that. Now, the authorities knew that there was no way Maclin could get these guns without a supplier. Robbie was the dealer. You know how it works. Gun runner buys cheap weapon surplus from desperate government hurting for cash, or gets them off dead soldiers. Gun runner find's way to smuggle said weapons to interested customer, and sells said weapon. BUT, any good dealer is like a Mafia boss. You have lackeys and expendables that can be intimidated and not traced back to you. Plausible deniability." Alex continued.

"So you suspect that McDaniel is said 'mafia boss'?" Olivia could not deny this was an intriguing theory. "I hate to sound like a broken record, but how did you conclude it was the Cardinal?"

"When the Feds decided that they had stumbled onto something bigger than some punk, they offered Maclin a deal. Talk and he gets witness protection. He kept his mouth shut." Alex pointed to a section of about the sentencing. "Depending on the severity of the charge he could have seen anywhere between five to thirty years. Now that got him second guessing. He panicked and admitted to the guns and drugs, but denied involvement in the black market dealings. After realizing his mistake, Robbie said that he 'can't betray him' then he quit talking. Investigators said he wasn't fearful for his life or regretful in his statement. Yes, just opinion of the agents, BUT they said it was almost in admiration. Like how a person couldn't betray a loved one or someone you owe a life debt or something."

Olivia read an interesting tidbit in the file. "Wait, he was a ward of the State? An underage teen in possession of arms, and some of those guns were involved in murders and traced back to him. He was charged as an adult threatened for maximum sentence due to connection with murders. And he willingly admitted to everything, forgoing the deal."

"Yes, this got me thinking. How does a teen get illegal assault weapons to sell? The Latino gangs can get their guns through Mexico and through the Mexican Mafia. Not to mention that this African American kid has NO ties to any gangs, even when he was high risk. He fight all the stereotypes of a kid looking to belong. Orphan or abandoned child, a ward of the state, poor neighborhood, troubled school record of acting out and bad grades UNTIL age ten. Then he seems to get his act together. Grade average rises, no fights or acting out, and gets involved with the Local Boys and Girls Club. I traced the time line, he was not part of any church or direct connection to Father McDaniel as he was not called to position of Cardinal yet. But, he was traced back to one of McDaniel's foundations. 'Reset Button'." Alex turned a page in her portfolio next to the Maclin hearing showing the charity the Cardinal had started as a priest.

"A small coincidental connection, yes. Especially when you see the hundreds then thousands of kids that were at one point involved in the program. So I talked to his former teachers and schools trying to find any friends that might know anything of how a troubled kid, turned his life around, only to turn back to his troubled way. Apparently a student overheard me and what I was up to, asking about Robert Maclin and his sudden turnaround after 'Pressing the Reset Button' as the slogan goes." Alex paused to let Olivia catch up as she saw the poor brunette begging to ask a question.

"Wait, wait, wait, can I ask you how the hell you got into investigating this anyway? Like were you assigned to cover Maclin's case by Donnelly and you started digging deeper? Because I am just curious why all… This?" Olivia motioned to all the papers. "Seems a bit obsessive, not to sound rude."

Alex sat back down in her chair taking a breath. "No, it's a fair question. And no I wasn't assigned THIS story. I was working on a story about the former longtime city Treasurer and a scandal on possible accounting irregularities that were looked into the new regime when her 'heir' lost the election. Anyway, getting back to your question… I got interested when I had heard he had a connection to 'Reset Button'. You see, I had volunteered and donated many times over the years to the foundation. And to think that someone that was a success story became a possible gun runner at such a young age. I felt a personal responsibility."

"Alex, it's not like you didn't contribute enough or IF there was corruption in the system." Olivia tried to comfort.

"I know Olivia, I really do but it's hard to accept that. But thank you for saying that. Really." Alex smiled at her. "And the reason I took it personally was because this kid, said he was being recruited by Robbie to join 'Reset Button' before he was arrested."

"Maybe he realized he had failed the program and thought it was too late for him and save this boy?" The brunette brought up. "Not that I think you are crazy and trying to poke holes into your article. Just trying to be a good partner and cover all the bases."

"Understood. And actually it is very helpful. It helps me make sure I didn't miss something." Alex thanked. "But to answer your question, this kid Hector, told me that Robbie said that he 'saw a lot of potential in him and if he joined he would get a lot of opportunities to make things better for himself,' and gave him a hundred dollar bill and finished it up by saying, 'opportunities that involve this.'"

"He bribed the kid to join a youth organization that anyone can join for free?" Olivia asked.

"Yes. And though Hector was tempted, he just had a bad feeling about the whole thing. I guess Robbie wouldn't give up so easily. Hector said that Robbie was REALLY interested in his brother that I learned later is part of MS 13, and if Hector was thinking of joining the gang when he was older, almost encouraging him to think about joining that as well. Now seeing Maclin was a gun dealer, maybe he was hoping that maybe Hector could be a way to build a business connection with the Sureños." Alex surmised.

"It's plausible. Bribing Hector saying you can earn money and opportunities if he joined of the foundation. And a BLACK youth, encouraging a Latino to join a dangerous gang known for their feuds with black gangs. It's a very interesting theory Alex, but a kid's statement is really hard to get people to accept as truth, and I still don't see how McDaniel is involved. It could be just a few kids that use the foundation as a cover." Olivia could see a story building but needed to hear how the Cardinal was involved.

"Very true. But how was a kid getting assault weapons? Because he was SELLING to the gangs, not buying from them. He had a supplier." Alex contended.

"Okay I agree that he needs a supplier, but convince me that it could be McDaniel." Olivia truly wanted to believe her new partner.

"Hector told me that Robbie said in one last attempt to get him to join, that God will protect him. Hector said that he told Robbie that he already knew that, that being catholic he believed in God and his power. But then Daniel got eye level with the kid. Hector said that Robbie got real close and whispered, 'Would you like to meet God and see how powerful he is?'" Alex spoke with a hushed tone. Actually glad for once that there was an almost empty bullpen, and that they could talk privately.

Alex actually felt a small sense of relief. That she could talk to someone about her story. With the weight of this story, and now the weight of the mysterious letters connected with her father, the blonde was starting to feel the strain. But sharing the weight with someone made the burden easier to bare.

"Are you saying Hector met with Gregory McDaniel?" Olivia's heart started beating faster.

"That's what I'm saying." Alex confirmed.

"Oh God," Olivia gasped.

"Apparently that's how highly he thinks of himself." The blonde sat back.

"Why not go to the police, I mean this is pretty big for just a story?" Olivia wondered.

"Hector is afraid of the police. Doesn't trust them, makes sense since his brother is a gang member. That's why I am stalling with my article. I can't convince Hector to talk with any cop. I don't know why he felt safe or the need to share with me. But I am trying to find another witness or informant, maybe if I look deep enough I can find McDaniel is connected somehow. For some reason these kids feel that he saved them. Like he truly is God to them and that they owe him their lives." Alex sighed in frustration. "Robbie is willing to sacrifice thirty years of his life or more to protect him. Olivia, this man used the money I and so many other's donated to fund his organization. You have nine out of ten good kids come out, but it's that one he finds and basically converts them to his disgusting organization."

Olivia saw the guilt in Alex's blue eyes.

"Alex, I am not completely convinced. But if what you say is true, and you believe this boy. I will do all that I can to help you get this guy." Olivia promised.

"Thank you Olivia." Alex grabbed Olivia's hand in appreciation from across the desk, and quietly gasped as she felt a shot of electricity shoot down her spine at touching the brunette.

"You're welcome." Olivia felt her body flush and her stomach flutter after the blonde squeezed her hand. "Now, what can I do?"

**AN: I am REALLY nervous I rambled on too much about the whole article. But I needed to be thorough. I also am not ENTIRELY sure that the Catholic Church anymore can bypass customs like they used to. But for the sake of story, give me this please. **

**I also decided I need to ramp up the growing attraction between our ladies. **

**I want to thank Cabson for all the help provided. And for agapeandzoe as well for her suggestions. Thank you both for help.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**AN: Yes, I know I didn't get that much more into Olivia's background. But it will be addressed first thing next chapter. I hope this is all making sense to the readers, and that you are all enjoying it. I am really nervous that this isn't getting much attention. **

**I own only my story and a few original characters, not anything SVU related.**

"Well I was thinking you could contact your …" Before Alex could finish the phone on her desk started to ring. "Sorry excuse me a second."

"Hello, this is Alex Cabot," the blonde greeted. "Oh John! How are you? … You got the part? … You're a life saver, I will be right over. How much will it cost? … I am flattered John but I am not looking to be number five… No, not even four and a half… Oh come on! That's not fair!"

Olivia was curious who this John was and why Alex was laughing. All she knew was that the sound of the blonde's laughter made her smile. But also it made Olivia jealous because it was someone else making her new partner laugh. '_Oh god, how could I be jealous of that? Pull yourself together Benson.'_

Alex glanced over at the brunette and suddenly a devious idea formed inside her mischievous mind.

"Wait John… No, I didn't change my mind," Alex dramatically sighed with a roll of her eyes. "Listen, I would like you to meet someone… Mm hmm… Yes, she is… pixie cut brunette, big brown eyes, sexy curves, she's quite the stunner if you'd ask me."

Olivia's jaw dropped and she had to quickly look away from the Alex's alluring blue eyes. The short haired woman pulled at the collar of her shirt to try and cool her rapidly warming skin. '_Is she serious? Or is this just a big joke? And who the hell is she talking too? _

"I… I'll be right back." Olivia stuttered as she stood. "I need to get a drink, um, where's the fountain or break room at?

Alex bite her lip to try and keep from laughing at the flustered woman in front of her. With a point of a well-manicured finger, she directed Olivia toward the break room without removing her gaze from the adorably embarrassed journalist. 'She's cute when she is embarrassed.'

"No John, I am not joking. She's," Alex took a deep breathe cutting herself off. "She's beautiful."

Olivia on her end misunderstood at first the facial gesture the blonde had given her. She assumed it was an attempt at a playful flirt. And if it was, it had accomplished its goal and then some. But then the admission that Alex Cabot found her beautiful, well if Olivia didn't get to some water soon she was sure she would burst into flames.

"Thank you," Olivia squeaked as she bolted away before she embarrassed herself any further. '_I have to be imagining things.'_

"Maybe this one could be lucky number five John, see ya in a bit," Alex smiled while thoroughly enjoying flustering her new partner. _'But what was that look in her eye? It looked almost like hope. No, I'm just imagining things.'_

As she hung up the phone Alex noticed the brunette had returned panting and her skin flushed. '_Whoa, she looks like she was interrupted in the middle of sex.'_

Olivia had tried to recover enough of her composure to be able to function again, but apparently had failed when she saw Alex was still staring, almost leering at her. '_God, give me a break, you're killing me!' _

"Were you able to find the break room?" Alex asked trying to keep from drooling.

"Yes, thank you." Olivia sat back down in her new office chair. She lowered her gaze in a pathetic attempt to hide her face by pretending to study the folders on her desk.

"Don't make yourself to comfortable," Alex explained as she reached for her tote under the oak desk. "I need to run an errand and I was thinking that you could come along."

"Really?" Olivia skeptically asked. "I mean, I know we are finally getting a bit friendly but are you sure you want me to come with?"

"Of course," Alex answered. "I could show you around town. I know you barely got here and haven't had time to explore the city, unless you visited her before?"

"No, well, I have stopped on a layover but no I have not really looked around the city. Hell, I still need to find a drug store to get a new tooth brush and some other necessities. So I guess I will tag along," Olivia explained.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Alex stood from her seat staring at the short haired woman. "You haven't brushed your teeth today?"

"Fuck you," Olivia chuckled as she joined rising with the blonde.

"Not with that dirty mouth you're not," Alex shot back. "Only after we get you that tooth brush."

Once again the brunette was glowing red from falling into the blonde's trap. If earlier she felt like she was about to burst into flames, now her body was an inferno.

"Need another water?" Alex teased. '_What the hell is wrong with me? I have never flirted like this before in my life, what is it about her?'_

"NO!" Olivia denied way too quickly. "I mean, no, I am fine. And for the last time I did brush my teeth today. But for your information it was one of those travel brushes that you like hold with a thumb and fore finger and they don't brush shit. So I want to get a real tooth brush, so I don't feel like the fifty foot woman."

Alex could not help but giggle at Olivia's nervous rambling. '_Just too cute.'_

She decided to finally give her new partner a break and motioned with a shake of her head causing her blonde locks to sway and her black framed glasses to slide down her pert nose.

"Alright calm down Allison Hayes. Let's go," Alex fixed her glasses the lens causing her blue eyes to slightly enlarge and sparkle.

"Who's Allison Hayes?" Olivia asked while distracted by the blonde's eyes framed beautifully with the black frames.

"You make a reference to 'Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman' and you don't know who played her? Pretty pathetic Benson." Alex scolded with a smirk.

"You remember the actress that played the main character in a low budget B Film from the sixties? Nerd alert." Olivia teased back, but also was fascinated that this strange woman kept surprising her with these bizarre revelations.

"I am not a nerd!" Alex huffed. "And it's from the fifties not the sixties."

"I stand corrected," Olivia mock apologized.

"Geek," The brunette whispered under her breath giggling as she watched the blonde walk a few steps ahead of her.

"I heard that!" Alex yelled back as she continued moving toward the elevator.

Olivia jogged to catch up to her partner, while her mind wondered what other things Alex Cabot might surprise her with next.

"Wait up!" Olivia shouted.

"Hurry up!" Alex shouted back.

'_How the hell do I always end up chasing her_?' Olivia wondered to herself.

"I can't believe that you don't even own a car," Olivia shook her head in disbelief as she pulled her rental car to the curb and parked it near the store front Alex had directed her too.

"Why own a car when I can use the subway, cab, or walk?" Alex explained as she stepped out of the car. "How do you think I keep my figure?"

"Well, I did notice you sure can move in those high heels." The brunette trailed her eyes down the blonde's body before ending at her feet.

It wasn't a sexual statement or gesture per se, but as Olivia eyed her body she couldn't help but shiver slightly. It wasn't that she ogled her in some predatory way, or like when women compared and contrasted their appearance with another. Alex could not quite put her finger on it but it felt that the look in her partner's warm brown eyes was similar to that of admiration? As if the blonde was a work of art and her audience of one was burning the memory of her features in her mind to remember for all time.

Alex wanted to respond but she remembered the old saying, '_Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.' _And she knew that if she tried to say anything at the moment she'd just make an ass out of herself. So instead Alex just brushed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear and averted her crystal blue eyes.

Olivia decided to take pity on her new partner for the time being and payback would come later for the blonde when the opportunity for maximum embarrassment was possible. '_That'll teach her for turning me on at the office so much I nearly passed out from lack of blood to the brain._'

After clearing her throat Alex quickly made her way to the glass door. The store's windows along with the entrance were covered top to bottom with old political satire posters. One could not look in or out without peeling one of the fading sun bleached papers back from the inside. An address number at the bottom of the left side window was the only other written script. The wooden framework of the building had been white washed long ago and was way overdue for another coat of paint. No name or logo occupied the wooden placard above the door or on the windows. It laid bare. A passerby would just assume it was one of the many mom and pop shops that had gone out of business.

"Are you sure we are in the right place?" Olivia asked.

"There you go assuming again," Alex smirked

"I am not! I was just…" The brunette suddenly realized that the blonde was messing with her when she saw Alex's face. "Funny. Very funny Alex. Oh wait, it wasn't."

"Oh, but it was." Alex corrected.

Alex smiled as she pulled the door open. A jingle announced their entrance, and the women in return were greeted with the pungent smell of old antiques, books, and the familiar smells an aging building are known for.

"Hey John, get up off your bony ass! There are some hot babes here to see you!" Alex called out.

Olivia's head shot up in surprise. She was not prepared for Alex to shout out, especially for the blue blood to refer to anyone as a 'hot babe.' She had been distracted by the odd collection of trinkets and doodads. There was no real order to the store, just a certain organized chaos that only the proprietor would know. Olivia felt that she could name an ancient relic and the owner would walk a few steps dig in a pile and pull out the long forgotten treasure.

"I wouldn't touch anything if I were you. The old man doesn't like anyone touching his goodies." Alex warned with a jesting wink.

Olivia quickly pulled her fingers away from opening the lid to a dusty tarnished urn. The look in her brown eyes ironically seemed to mirror one of a kid who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"That's a lie hackette, and you know it. I don't let just ANYONE touch my goodies, but a beautiful creature like this," an older man gestured toward Olivia who had happed to seemingly appear out of thin air. "I'd happily let handle my precious jewels."

Olivia almost gagged at the terrible come on. "I am afraid your precious jewels, like the England's crown jewels, will sadly be locked away until an old wrinkled geriatric happens to need them."

"Oh I like her Alex, she's even feistier then you are." The shop owner smiled a smug grin at the two women.

"No one is feistier then me John, and you know it." Alex assured.

"I don't know Alex. First impressions mean a lot and she knocked that one out of the park. You barely made it two second base your first time." The man now revealed as John revealed.

"Second base is all I could reach with the equipment supplied to me. How am I supposed to round the bases any further when your bat's so brittle it broke on contact?" Alex shot back.

"I stand corrected. Long live the Queen," John bowed. "And believe me, my bat is plenty firm thank you very much."

"Oh my god, where do you find these people Al?" Olivia asked.

Alex's brow rose when she heard her partner refer to her in the short nickname. Usually if someone called her anything but Alex when using her name, other than a select few, she ripped them a new one. But no one had ever called her Al before. She kind of liked it.

"At the gym," The grey haired man answered turning back toward Olivia. "I caught her eye one day during my daily weight lifting regime."

"I'm sorry?" Olivia had to fight back a snicker as she eyed the older man. "But I doubt your scrawny butt could even open the gym door let alone lift any weight."

"Careful John. This one's bite is just as bad as her bark," Alex warned. "Olivia, meet John Munch. John meet Olivia Benson, my new partner."

"A pleasure." John took the brunette's hand to kiss it.

"Oh the pleasures all mine," Olivia slide her hand free before his thin lips met her skin. "But not today."

"Then, here's to tomorrow." He continued to persist.

"Well until then, can we get down to business and I can get my part?" Alex asked.

"Alas, duty calls." John dramatically sighed at Olivia before looking toward the blonde. "This one wasn't easy to find Alex. I hate to say it, but I am afraid that you might have to retire your dad's typewriter."

Olivia's heart ached when she saw Alex's reaction to the news John had given. She looked crushed. She imagined the blonde as a little girl being told by her parents that her favorite doll could not be mended. Alex was almost in tears.

"I know John. It's just when I use dad's typewriter. I feel, never mind. It's stupid." Alex ran her hand through her hair and took a shuddering deep breath

"You feel what Alex?" Olivia squeezed her shoulder.

"I feel my dad." Alex revealed. "He used to sit me on his lap while he typed his articles. A lot of times he let me help. The sound of the keys clicking, the bell dinging when it had to be reset for the next line, and the feel of my dad's hand as he combed my hair with his fingers."

Olivia had to fight the urge to wipe the lone tear that fell from the blonde's eye. She wanted to take Alex into her arms and hold her tight assuring her that everything will be alright. But Alex was not the only one that knew what the pain of loss was like. Olivia knew that ache all too well.

"I'm really sorry Alex. But parts for these, especially this model are difficult to track down. And I doubt I will be able to find another key lever, you'd have to get them custom made from now on. Now other models or, newer…" John tried to explain but paused when he saw the blonde roll her eyes after the recommendation for upgrading to newer typewriter.

"I am not saying buy a laptop or computer, just maybe take a look at some of the other typewriters out there. I would be more than happy to look into finding one with easier to replace parts. I know it's not your father's but you can always keep it as a reminder of him at home, or at work." John finished explaining.

"May I ask why you don't just buy a laptop or computer? Olivia wondered.

"Oh god, now you did it," Alex groaned.

"You mean the spy machines of the government and the one percent? The tool the New World Order is using to brainwash and monitor our activities?" The old conspiracy theorist ranted.

"Oh, you are one of those,' Olivia sighed. "Let me guess no cell phone either."

"Oh god, now you did it again," This time John groaned.

"You mean the cancer causing tracking devices?" Alex ranted.

"Developed by corporations and CIA to wire-tap us without our knowledge or permission. Plus the fact that our government is so incompetent that they don't even protect their own spy methods and tools from being used against us and them by foreign powers." John looked at the brunette like she should have known this already.

Ignoring the conspiracy nut Olivia turned to Alex expecting to see the blonde roll her eyes in support of her opinion that John Munch was coo coo for cocoa puffs. Only to find Alex to be nodding along with his raving theories.

"You don't believe this do you?" Olivia asked getting worried her new partner was as nutty as a fruitcake. '_God, why am I comparing them with old time idioms? Maybe I caught their crazy virus?'_

"Well, not all of it but for the most part yes. Mainly I think it was developed by the FBI not the CIA. I mean J. Edgar Hoover has been on everyone's phone since the thirties. How do you think a cross dresser during that time could stay in power for that long? He knew everything about everyone." Alex explained.

"Oh my god, I'm surrounded," Olivia sighed. "So you don't own a cell phone?"

"No," The blonde shook her head.

"How is that possible? You went to college and you have a career where we are practically glued to our phones. How am I supposed to get hold of you?" Olivia was stunned.

"I'm in the yellow pages." Alex simply stated.

"And if you aren't at home?" Olivia spoke slowly. Almost wondering if maybe her partner couldn't understand her language. It felt like they were not even from the same planet anymore.

"You leave a message after the beep and I will get back to you when I get home or at work." Alex spoke just as slowly in return.

"I… Can't… GAH!" Olivia screamed and walked away to another part of the shop feeling like she was going to blow a gasket if she didn't get a moment to herself.

"Anyway," Alex turned to John. "I hate to do it, but you are right. Look into finding me a new typewriter. I want to continue using daddy's, but I don't want to make it useless. Maybe in his memory I will just restore it and keep it as a memorial in my parent's home."

"I think that is a great idea Alex. I think you will be surprised when you use any typewriter you will feel your dad's presence." John smiled at the blonde woman that he got to know so well and cared about like a niece.

Alex only shrugged in answer to the peculiar shop owner. He was the crazy uncle she never had, but loved dearly. The one that came over for the holidays and rare occasions with crazy unbelievable tales that you couldn't help but smile at.

"How is the article coming hackette? John inquired. The derogative nickname used for female reporters was John's ironic nickname for her.

He hated the media. Often going off in a long vividly detailed rant of the numerous ways Hollywood and news conglomerates never tell the truth but spin only lies to the ignorant masses. Explaining how Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst first started making creating news instead of reporting it. That money and power were more important than truth and integrity. It wasn't hard to see how much John Munch had influenced Alex Cabot in her life. The nickname was a term of endearment for the blonde. She understood it was a fun jest at the profession she choose, and did not mean any disrespect to her.

"I've hit a roadblock John. My source is getting cold feet, and the few people I am trying to interview either ignore me or hit on me. It doesn't help that I am tall, blonde, whiter than snow, and blue eyed. I am either a sex object to most men, an opinionated power hungry bitch to women, and apparently I have personally been keeping the minorities 'down'," Alex quoted one reason an MS-13 member refused to talk to her.

"All I can say Alex don't do something you'll regret. I know you'll keep being your annoying intrusive determined self, but don't stoop to their level." John referred to the evil masterminds and their machinations to accomplish their goals. "You're better than that. I know for some the end justifies the means, but it's a slippery slope. Once you sacrifice your principles what else do you have left?"

"Nothing. You are left with nothing." Alex answered. "I know my dad lost his life by being too reckless, but never once did he throw away his principles. I miss him so much, but it wasn't his principles that got him killed, it was because of someone who had none. I promised him and myself after his death I would honor him by living like him."

Olivia's ears had perked when John had started to mention using tactics that border on dishonest and could lead to trouble, and she had listened closely to Alex's response. Guilt began to bubble inside her. The memory of her earlier snooping in Alex's satchel came rushing back like a freight train. All it takes is one small step, and she couldn't stop herself. '_Was that what he was cautioning Alex about? That I was no better than the criminals we both now are going to investigate? I know I invaded her privacy. But that doesn't make me on their level.' _

The brunette tried to justify in her mind that to her, the ends sometimes did justify the means. It she had to walk that razor thin line and cross it once in a while to save a life or expose an injustice then it was worth it. It's not like she was killing someone herself or stealing from the poor. She had basically stolen some information a couple times in her life but that had helped make the world aware of atrocities that would never been brought into the light. Why should she feel bad about anything she did? The night before she had even defended herself to Alex with no guilt what so ever. But had she purposely excluded her last article? Why now, instead of any other time did she feel now guilty of her methods? Maybe because her new partner, whom she was suddenly finding herself admiring and respecting. Condemn those very methods? Olivia felt herself feeling suddenly ill.

While Olivia was distracted with her own personal conundrum, Alex and John finished their transaction. He had promised Alex to look into typewriters with an easier upkeep, while she promised to be safe and aware of her surroundings. The brunette was brought out of her thoughts with a tug on her jacket sleeve.

"Huh? What?" Olivia asked regaining her attention on the situation.

"I said are you ready to go, or are you to fascinated with those vintage bongs?" Alex teased.

"Yes I am," Olivia answered before realizing her mistake. "TO GO! Yes, I'm ready to go."

Before Alex could tease her partner any further, Olivia said her goodbye's to John ignoring his repeated attempts for a date, and walked out the door. The blonde was wondering why Olivia was so jumpy all of a sudden. Was she that bothered by John and her talk about their hatred toward modern technology? She seemed to be entertained before she left to look around the shop. Alex would have to ask Olivia later if either had offended her in some way.

After leaving Munch's shop the two women started walking back to The Sentinel. Olivia was unusually quiet, and this unnerved Alex. When they had first arrived to see John, the brunette was friendly and talkative. But after a while Olivia just seemed to disappear. Her body remained but it was an empty vessel, her mind had drifted away and a forlorn expression was the only evidence that she was a person and not a mannequin.

"So, I was thinking you could call some of your contacts overseas in the well-known drug circles, or possibly some of the gun runners who might be willing to communicate with you to see if they know anything about possible religious missionaries serving near those areas known for these illicit activities?" Alex inquired decided to not address Olivia's mood shift for the moment.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Olivia answered quietly.

Alex noticed that her partner was still acting a bit distracted and distant.

"Are you okay?" Alex wondered. "You kind of disappeared on us back there."

"Actually Alex I have something I need to tell you," The brunette admitted. "I um, did something I shouldn't have."

"You didn't like, steal my article and is selling it to the highest bidder are you?" The blonde asked with a smirk.

"What?!" Olivia yelled. She was extremely offended by the accusation, and her anger erupted. "How dare you accuse me of something like that?!

Alex flinched at Olivia's anger. She had meant the question as a jest, maybe even to rile the hot shot journalist just a little bit for some playful banter, but not an actual accusation. Though if the blonde was being honest with herself, she was a bit nervous of her new partner running off with her story. Alex had worked very hard for this article and if all she was investigating in this story was true, it would be the career defying moment of her life so far. Who wouldn't be tempted? All journalists have that worry of being scooped, and trust was almost impossible in their profession. Her father and Liz trusted each other, but that came from growing up together as playpen pals, all the way to bullpen partners. Olivia and Alex haven't known one another long enough to blindly trust the other. Trust was earned. Not to be given freely. But Alex realized she might have gone too far, as Olivia was giving her a smoldering glare with those dark brown eyes. It was intimidating, but the fiery passionate intenseness those orbs held as they stared her down… It was sexy as hell.

"I didn't mean anything by it. I was just teasing you. You know a joke? Plus you just said you needed to tell me something you shouldn't have," Alex tried to explain. She didn't understand why Olivia blew up so severely, even for a misunderstanding, this type of rage the brunette was displaying was fueled by something unknown to the blonde.

"Why would I steal a story from a mere columnist at her family's newspaper? I am not the scared little daddy's girl that couldn't put on her big girl panties and make her own legacy," Olivia immediately regretted her words. But her anger got the best of her. "Little Ally Cabot had to play it safe and get a job she couldn't be get fired from. No risk, and you are the big fish in your OWN pond. Unlike me, who has crawled in the trenches with soldiers, had guns pointed at my head by drug cartel kings, and warlords. I may have fucked up in my life, but I wasn't afraid to walk on my own merits, my own two feet. I have fallen but I am getting up, you never left the crib."

Alex was shaking. The civil war of emotions inside her was starting to shift from rage that boiled up at the beginning of Olivia's tirade, but by the end of it she was near hysterics. It was a miracle the blonde was not a blubbering mess, and even more miraculous that the brunette wasn't picking her teeth up from off the ground right now. Forgoing her overwhelming urge to just go off on the short haired woman with a profanity laced assault, Alex decided to launch her nuclear arsenal as well.

"You didn't just fall, you destroyed your credibility. You didn't just taint your own career and every story you ever wrote because of what you did, but you put a dark stain on every other journalist. Every time a journalist has to retract a story because they skewed facts, falsified information, and I'll just say it. Print a story filled with lies that ends up destroying someone's life," Alex spat. "You have made yourself a plague. No one would touch you. No news organization or journalistic paper would risk their reputation by hiring you. Hell, not even the tabloids want anything to do with a pariah like you. The only reason Liz contacted you was because this paper is on life support. We are gasping for breath, sitting on death row. But if it was up to me? I would rather our paper die with its head held high in pride, then lose its dignity trying to survive like Elizabeth is doing. I would've left you in the mud you fell face first into. And honestly, where you belong."

Both women had unloaded their entire weaponry onto each other. They purposely attacked the weakest points they had and did so with malice. Now as the dust settled and the rubble and destruction became visible, they saw what they had caused to one another. Both had tears streaking down their cheeks and flushed with anger, but their eyes held only pain and regret. Then suddenly without another word, both women turned from the other and walked away. Alex down the sidewalk and Olivia to her rental car. Neither knowing how they could possibly repair the damage that had been done.

Alex didn't know how a joke, and admittedly probably not appropriate at the time, but still it a joke could create this huge mess. The blonde had no idea why she could not control her emotions around Olivia Benson. It's like the spunky maddening brunette caused Alex's heart and passion override her brain. Emotions became more enhanced. Annoyance was instead anger, happy was ecstatic, sad was misery, and fondness became an avalanche of love, lust, and a deep primal desire. '_I need to fix this, but will Olivia even give me a chance to apologize? Oh my god, Liz will kill us if we don't somehow figure out how to work together.'_

Olivia had a better idea why the stupid joke had set her off. It wasn't that she took it as an attack on her integrity. It just hit to close to home. Even in jest, the accusation of a misdeed like plagiarism or theft was huge in the journalistic world. And usually Olivia would just brush something like this off but the guilt of snooping into Alex's bag was haunting her, and a whisper of shame progressively became a deafening shout. '_I am not going to steal her article, but didn't I basically steal her private information by snooping and taking a picture of it?' _Olivia took her phone out and stared at the pictures she took, Alex and John's conversation replaying in her ear. She came close to deleting them, but something inside her told her to stop. She knew that something was dark and sinister about this letter Alex had received. Something dangerous and possibly deadly.

'_What if this woman is in danger? What if Alex is in danger? If I say anything I will just prove to her I do belong in the mud… Who am I kidding? I belong in the mud, just like she said. But maybe if I can keep Alex safe or help her save this woman? I can earn her forgiveness.' _Olivia justified keeping the photos too herself and also decided to research more about it.

Later that day, a plain sedan drove down the 11th Street Boulevard before turning onto 6th North. The driver turned the dial on the radio lowering the volume of the classic rock ballads that serenaded through the car's speakers. After checking the flow of the traffic the driver took a chance to peek out the window and arched their head up to look toward the Meadowlark apartment complex. Counting up the floors and window sills they searched for the correct apartment that occupied Alexandra Cabot. After passing for the second time today, once at dawn and again at dusk to check if the reporter had finally had an answer to the request of her services.

Yes or no, the driver of the sedan didn't care. If the blonde decided not to accept the honor, another journalist would be found. But the fact that she seems to be completely ignoring each letter infuriated the individual. The last correspondence should have clearly made Alex Cabot aware of the seriousness of the situation at hand, and the consequences of keeping them waiting for an answer. Did the reporter not understand? Had they misjudged her abilities and intelligence to truly comprehend he magnitude of this opportunity? Apparently threats and warnings are not enough to convince the blonde that it wasn't just an attention getter but something a lot more sinister.

'Maybe she needs hard evidence of my intentions. Then she'll know that I am serious when I said if she ignores me for a third time, the woman in the photograph would be harmed.' The figure said to their self.

The driver pulled away from the apartment building and drove off down the street. Luckily Alex's place was on a busy road way and a common car passing would not look suspicious. Suddenly the figure had an epiphany. They knew now what would finally get the attention of the blonde journalist. After taking the time to weave down different roads to lose any possible cars that might be tailing the sedan, they finally reached the desired destination. The figured parked the sedan behind a wall of shrubbery and made their way to the basement of the building. With a pull of a string the sole light bulb lite the way down the cement steps. Their footfalls echoed down the stairs and into the underground dwelling. This time the figure flipped a switch turning on a panel of lights that uncovered a tidy and sterile work shop. No windows and a thick foundation helped keep the basement soundproof and secured from any possible chance of discovery.

The entire room was aglow with light reflecting off polished clean surfaces covered in clear plastic painting tarps. The smell of bleach and lime permeated the air. A large deep freezer sat in one corner next to a large workbench. In the opposite corner almost in a stark contrast to the freezer was a wood burning furnace. A variety of tools sat on a neatly organized on their designated pegs on a peg board built against the basement wall. A few electrical outlets are scattered along the walls as well, with one currently being occupied by an extension cord. That cord was attached to the freezer keeping the inside and its belongings ice cold.

After making sure to take the necessary precautions which included a shower cap, goggles, paper mask, paper booties, a disposable smock and a pair of surgical gloves reinforced to not leave any type of finger prints or imprints that could be traced. To many instances the paranoid figure had heard or seen that cheap latex gloves still could leave evidence. The overly cautious individual opened the deep freezer causing a blast of cold air to escape. The gloves grasped a freezer burned object wrapped in layers of saran wrap. The figure moved over to the work table. With an intimate knowledge of the peg board and its tools, the figure reached without looking for a hacksaw with a replace blade. Layer after layer was unwound around the object revealing a blue frozen solid hand lopped off at the wrist. After a few push and pulls a single finger was dislodged from the rest of the hand. Being extra careful to wrap the rest of the hand in the saran wrap once again and replacing it back in its frozen prison and closed the lid with a brush of their elbow, the figure took the single digit and wrapped it as well before folding it in between an electric blanket. A hand now covered with a brand new surgical glove, the individual so paranoid couldn't risk transferring blood onto the objects, took the blankets cord and plugged it into the outlet, with a turn of the dial the heat started to grow within the blanket defrosting the finger.

The figure had to be patient while the heat did its job, then they took their time to remove the saw blade to be disposed of later and never to be found. The next step was preparing the parcel and its message to Alex Cabot.

The paper coverings and latex gloves had been burned to ash and ruin in the fire of the furnace, and the work bench had a received a brand new cover to work upon. Once again clad in a new set of protective disposable gear, the figure placed a small common jewelry box stolen from the garbage behind one of the shops in the diamond district onto the table. Next to the box was a college ruled stationary and a wooden ruler. This figure started to compose the letter. Making sure to take careful consideration and thought into its message. Each letter was perfectly centered and straight with help from the ruler. After much trial and error the note was now finished. Next came the jewelry box. When the outside and inside had been properly sterilized and cleaned of any possible traces of this individual, all that was left was to wait for the finger to thaw.

'_This should finally get her attention.'_

**AN: Any suggestions, advice, criticism is more than welcomed it's needed. I need to know if I need to address things or clear up things. Please, I am trying very hard to possibly later make this a novel with original characters. I need all the help I can get on my subpar writing to get better and get published. Thank you all!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Author's note at the end of chapter.**

**I own nothing involving SVU, just the original characters and storyline.**

"Home sweet home," Olivia mumbled to herself as she entered her room at the extended stay she was living at for the time being.

The room was basically a hotel on steroids or the love child of that and an apartment. She had a bed, small bathroom with just a shower, and a tiny kitchenette. In corner by the bay window sat a desk with room for a laptop and little else. The last two furniture items were a chest of drawers for her meager supply of clothing she brought from her apartment out of town and a nightstand by the queen sized bed. The one luxury provided to her from the hotel was a twenty four inch plasma screen atop the drawers opposite the bed.

The color scheme suited the nomadic brunette just fine. Various blues, greys, whites, and blacks accented one another in a more masculine setting then feminine. It made sense to the short haired journalist seeing as it was still more the custom for the male gender to be the one working away from home. Plus she guessed the darker color scheme hide dirt and stains better then lighter softer tones.

In the 'too small to be called a closet' closet, sat her suitcases. Olivia had yet to unpack her belongings into the empty drawers due to a combination of exhaustion and caution. She was still suffering from the jetlag from her international flight, and Olivia was cautious in unpacking afraid that things wouldn't work out at The Sentinel and she would have to just repack everything anyway.

Olivia sat her pack containing her laptop and various personal items, makeup, brush, and other feminine things, as well as sunglasses, pens, wallet, iPod, iPad and other useful objects she might need on the desk before flopping onto the bed her brown blood shot eyes staring at the ceiling.

Things could not have gone any worse with Alex then what has happened so far in their budding new partnership. It was like they immediately stumbled at the first step and never quite regained balance. There were times that they seemed to be in sync, almost eerily so. But then other's they couldn't be more off rhythm. Olivia had never been this bipolar for lack of a better term, with someone before. Though Alex was the first to really start this light the fire discontent with the purposeful brushoff when they met, she further fueled that fire by her abrasive attitude toward Olivia throughout the association of one another. But this time Olivia could not blame anybody but herself. She had poured gasoline on the smoldering embers with her reaction to Alex's joke. She knew she wasn't out right accusing the brunette of attempting to steal her story, it was justified in actuality due to the recent history Olivia had created for herself. She was also especially overly sensitive with the guilt she was dealing with when overhearing John and Alex's discussion about not sacrificing your principles.

'_Why is it that anger makes you say honest opinions?' Olivia ruminated. 'I guess it's because you really don't think or care at that moment of another's feelings. I never meant to SAY any of it out loud, but I can't deny that I didn't believe what I said. Nor she couldn't be mad that Alex retaliated. She had every right to hurt me back. I have to give her credit though for being able to find my weak underbelly.'_

Olivia would never admit it but Alex was right on point with her attack. Everything Alex said was the brunette's deepest fear. That she had become a leper. An outcast that no one wanted near. She thanked the God she never believed in for Elizabeth Donnelly's call. This really was her last shot to save her career and image, and also to repair her confidence and self-respect.

Olivia reached into her pocket and withdrew a series of photographs and a photo cut from an Afghanistan newspaper. The picture from the paper was of a young male boy. The boy was pictured with an American GI wearing the soldier's helmet and smiling into the camera. The soldier was a medic helping treat the boy after he had been struck in the leg by errant shrapnel. The boy was a Muslim Afghani, but unlike the portrayal of certain media outlets, this village was very welcoming to the American military occupation of their country.

Soldiers from the Forward Operating Base Chapman and Salerno had been fighting against the Pakistani Taliban near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the province of Khost. Numerous standoffs had occurred and unfortunately civilians had been killed or injured due to crossfire. The Afghan Taliban, thought not directly connected to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan had been suspected of being supported by their Pakistani counterparts and the duel threat had caused increased tension at the military bases.

Time Magazine had employed Olivia Benson to write an expose on the growing animosity between the Shia-Sunni tribes. The American presence had widened the schism between the two secular branches of Islam. For centuries these two sects had been warring off and on, and thousands had been killed in the recent uprisings and civil war. The 'Redirection' in late 2006, early 2007 saw the US shift its support from the Shia to the Sunni. This had caused major repercussions. Shia felt betrayal while a majority of the Sunni still felt hatred toward the United States. And sadly the peaceful villages and civilians had been the biggest victims. Lumped together by the Free World as terrorists, while targeted by extremists as traitors the innocent Afghanis and Pakistanis had no chance to escape.

The brunette moved on to the next photograph showing a group picture of the Army Unit she had been traveling with while researching her article. The guys had surrounded the young attractive journalist all vying for her attention when she first arrived. The photo was full of smiles and comradery. In the weeks she had been following the soldiers she had grown fond of the quirky bunch. The war exhausted men and women had kept themselves sane with an abundance of humor to break the tension. It was not the first military unit she had shadowed, not even the second. She had followed a platoon of marines during the first Iraqi War. But at that time she was so green that she spent most of the time shaking with fear and was too stressed out to make any kinship with the soldiers. Olivia was only able to bond with one Marine at that time. He acted like a protective big brother and the two developed a strong trust after she had been next to him during a surprise ambush. They had promised to keep in touch but the two had lost contact after she had left Iraq. Olivia had not known his fate until later.

The next photo she flipped too showed a male around his mid-twenties. A tear fell down her cheek. The man was beaten severely. He had been stripped and his arms tied behind his back. His legs required no ropes or bindings. They had been broken with some type of blunt weapon. One bone, possibly his fibula had protruded through his skin and was visible to the viewer. His body was broken and swollen. So many cuts, bruises, welts, and burns covered the entirety of his body, you could not find a patch of skin not disfigured in some way. The cause of death had been an attempt at beheading. Half way through the execution, the mob had been dispersed with the help of a reinforcement of marines. The perpetrator who had been severing the head from the broken body had been shot to death after turning his curved blade toward the approaching soldiers.

'_It's all my fault. If I wouldn't have left he would still be alive. I could have stopped this. God forgive me.' _Olivia could not stop the torrential downpour of tears.

The guilt ridden brunette was almost hysterical with sobs as the room started to spin. In a panic Olivia rushed to the bathroom. She just made it to the toilet before she was sick. Even after her stomach was empty she could not stop the constant gags. Finally after another bout of retching, her body could not take it anymore. She collapsed from exhaustion. Olivia curled herself in a ball silently crying. In her hand she held the photo of the murdered man.

Alex had made her way back to The Sentinel having taken the time on the subway to push her anger and hurt feelings to the back of her mind to deal with later. She detoured from her usual path to stop by the mail room to see if Ken was able to head out for the late lunch she had offered to him earlier.

Ken had his back turned from the open door so as the blonde reporter made her way into the room she knocked on the ajar door to gain his attention. The young man about jumped out of his shoes much to the amusement of Alex. He quickly stood from the chair and slammed the screen of his laptop down hiding whatever he was working on from her.

"Jesus woman, you about made me mess myself," Ken glared at the blonde before laughing.

"So that's what the smell is," Alex mockingly accused. "You and Don both are skittish like a deer. I'm not that sneaky but I always seem to scare you both. Hell, I even scared Liv enough that she bumped her head from under her desk."

"You'd think that would be a clue to maybe make a little more noise when you walk up on us," Ken stated.

"My heels clicking on the granite floor isn't loud enough?" Alex looked to her stilettos.

"You are the only woman who can wear heels and still be a ninja," The young man explained. "Who's Liv?"

"Oh sorry you haven't met her yet. Olivia Benson. Donnelly hired her to be our new journalist," the blonde gritted out.

"Sounds like you don't like her much?" Ken assumed from her tone.

"I might have some strong feelings that might resemble that opinion." Alex admitted.

"Some?" The young man raised a brow in curiosity at the way the blonde had answered. "So some other feelings don't resemble it?"

"I will not dignify that question with a response," Alex dodged.

"The lady doth protest too much," Ken teased.

"Hamlet. Impressive Mr. Randall." The blonde smiled. "But in the words of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 'It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.'"

"Well in the words of my father Odafin Tutuola, 'Bitch please!'" Ken shot back.

This caused Alex to cackle with laughter.

"Okay, you win. Now grab your stuff and come have some lunch with this bitch," the still giggling woman ordered. "And don't think I didn't notice how you hide whatever you were doing on your laptop either."

The young mocha skinned man stopped in his tracks. He had suddenly paled a few shades as well. Alex had noticed his sudden change in demeanor and furrowed her brows.

"What… what are you talking about?" Ken stuttered.

"Ken?" Alex questioned her tone a bit harsh at his odd behavior. "Don't tell me you are…"

Before she could finish her accusation the young man defended himself.

"I'm not okay! I swear I'm not doing anything bad. I just…" Ken trailed off a moment. His attempt to hide the worry in his speech had failed.

"Ken, you don't need to tell me. It's really none of my business," Alex explained. "Just promise me it's not something that'll get you into trouble? You are doing so well lately."

"I can't promise that," he sighed. "Look, I was talking online with my girlfriend. My dad doesn't know I am dating yet, and I am not sure he would like it that I am."

"Oh thank God," the tense young woman was able to breathe again. "Don't freaking scare me like that, okay?!"

"I'm sorry Alex," Ken apologized.

"Hey, I was your age once. And do you think I told my dad about everyone one of the dates I had?" Alex put her arm around the young student and guided him toward the door. "Of course not! Now I am starving so let's go see your dad. I could use a drink right now anyway. And I promise to keep your secret kid."

"Thanks Alex. I just am not ready to tell him I met someone yet." Ken whispered.

As the two made their way outside and down the steps to the subway, she asked how he was doing with school. While Ken explained his last few assignments before he would take the test to receive his GED, Alex tried to pay attention. The problem was that it didn't make sense to her why the young man would be so embarrassed to tell his dad or anyone really that he was dating someone. Especially when most dads loved to hear their sons were finally dating. As their train pulled up she decided to not worry about it, she had bigger things to deal with already. From a weirdo sending those creepy letters, to her article she was forced to now share with her so called partner, and then the huge fight that happened this morning with that partner.

'_How am I going to fix this? I mean, she started it but I shouldn't have joked about her possibly stealing my story. She must have known I wasn't really serious. But why did I have to be so juvenile and hurt her back? I am better than that. Well, maybe if she shows up tomorrow I will apologize.' _Alex decided as she stepped onto the train with Ken.

Olivia's head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and her throat burned. Her brown eyes blinked over and over as the world slowly came back into focus while her body screamed at her to rise from the hard bathroom tile. Pins and needles shot through her arm as she moved it free from being pressed between her and the floor. She opened her hand as she felt something had been crushed in its grip. The photo had been crumpled in her fist. Sitting up against the bathroom wall Olivia did her best to smooth out the folds and wrinkles of the picture. She was all cried out. Nothing was left to mourn ruining the only photo she had of this tragic event.

Finally after composing herself, the brunette journalist lifted herself off the floor and made her way to her pack. She dug out her laptop and sat at the desk. As she waited for the computer to boot up she dug out a half emptied bottle of whiskey. She uncapped it and took a long draw of the strong alcohol. It burned more than usual due to the earlier bile uprooted from her stomach. But she welcomed the extra pain, almost as if it was penance for her sins.

After Olivia logged into her email multiple email accounts, she penned numerous inquiries to her contacts. The reason for the several emails was for security and anonymity for herself and the contacts. As she pressed send Olivia took another long sip from the bottle. It was a waiting game now. Even though it was a good suggestion from her partner, she had little confidence anyone might get back to her with useful information. But stranger things have happened with in her career.

'_Now I just need to figure out how to apologize and fix things with Alex. Which is going to be more unlikely than hearing back from any of the emails. I need a miracle.' _The brunette finished the bottle.

Ken and Alex had arrived at Fin's bar, The Hammer'd Head, as the lunch rush had tapered off. A few lingering booze hounds remained but for the most part the bar was empty. A few waitresses and bus boys were cleaning up the tables and sweeping the floors to prepare for the crowds that would pile in after work and throughout the night.

Fin Tutuola had been a former gang member during his teens and early adult years. That all changed when he got his girlfriend at the time pregnant. Once he told Alex that having Ken had saved his life. He was able to leave the gang without retaliation, and a rap sheet that didn't cripple his chances at a normal life. She knew it must have been hard to find a bank willing to loan money to start his bar, and even harder starting a business so risky in attempt to provide for his family. Alex had the deepest respect for the man. He had not resorted to past sins or shortcuts that would have made things easier. He kept his word that he left that life behind. Fin also had helped Alex a few times with information about gang life and the other side of the tracks for her articles.

When she first met the Tutuola family, Alex had been working on a puff piece Elizabeth had assigned her when she was just a cub reporter. A story of redemption and success despite all odds. The young journalist had fallen for the family, the sweet little boy, and his gruff but humorous father. At first look you'd be intimidated by the man. He had hard eyes, at the time a long braid of hair now buzzed off, and a rough disposition. He was cocky and it was extremely hard to earn his trust. But once you did, you were family to him, and he treated you like he treated all his loved ones. He was the overprotective brother she never had, and even more so when Alex had helped his son return to school. When the blonde had told Fin that she was going to recommend to Elizabeth to hire his son to intern at the paper and also to sponsor Ken to receive a scholarship when his son got his GED, Fin cried. She never thought the tough proud African American male, whose testosterone seemed to seep from his pores, could cry. Alex couldn't help but laugh and cry with him as he lifted her in his strong arms and spun her around.

The bar was your typical neighborhood watering hole. It had a couple of TV's showing ESPN or any channel airing the 'big game.' On nights where sports were taking a day off, Fin would play music. Usually hip hop, rap, soul, R&B, and some rock. He refused anything country or pop music, saying he'd die before playing that crap in his bar. Fin usually tended bar during the day and was Emcee at night. He would go around the bar to each booth greeting and schmoozing with the patrons. He served the usual bar food at night, wings, and anything you could deep fry. But when he realized that during the lunch hour he was not gaining any clientele, he started to serve luncheon foods.

Alex found it amusing that when she first came to The Hammer'd Head and saw the sign, she thought it was quite clever to pair the description of being hammered when someone drank too much, with the hammer head shark. She expected a sea faring type atmosphere, with wenches and pirates serving rum and grog while regaling the crowds with sea shanty's, and the owner to be some former sailor that had run aground only to use his shipwrecked boat to build his bar. What she had found was a man who hated anything dealing with the ocean, including seafood and had never stepped on a boat in his life.

The blonde had inquired to why he named it The Hammer'd Head, unable to shut off her journalist curiosity. He explained that his nickname when he was involved in the Crips, was the Shark's Fin. Again, her need to know the whole story forced herself to dig further. Fin had explained that he got the reputation of being someone to avoid if you saw him. He had said, '_When ya see a shark fin in the water, ya get the hell out of the water. When I showed up, y'all got the hell away.'_

Not knowing his past self, it was hard for Alex to imagine him as nothing but a hard worker, loving father, and friend. Yes, he was intimidating at first, but he was nothing but kind and respectful to her.

"Baby girl! Ken my man!" Fin yelled out as he came out from behind the bar and greeted them.

Ken and his dad did their usual meet and greet, a slap and grip of their hand and a one armed hug. Alex always giggled at how men could not hug another man with two arms. She knew it had something to do with the masculine ego though. He had no issue wrapping his arms around the blonde and hugging her tight.

"Ya guys are a bit late for lunch," Fin smirked.

"I promised the kid lunch today," Alex pointed out. "But I got a bit held up with my new partner."

"Wait! She's your partner? You didn't mention that earlier." Ken wondered why the blonde had neglected that detail.

"Hold up, Alexandra Cabot has a partner? Did hell freeze over?" Fin joked.

"Sorry Ken, I didn't mean to not mention that. And possibly Fin, Liz does like blasting the air conditioner." Alex joked back.

"Damn baby girl. I swear ya got some black sass in ya," Fin led them over to an open booth, and joined them to visit.

"So this, Olivia right?" Ken made sure it was the correct name. "She is your new partner, and you got a thing for her? No wonder you are stressed out."

"I do NOT have a thing for her," Alex growled.

"Time out. Alex has a thing for a woman?" Fin directed his question at his son with a smirk.

Alex rolled her eyes pretty sure what the smirk meant. _'Men and their fascination with lesbians. Don't they get that gay women want nothing to do the male species?'_

"Can we please not talk about this? I don't like her. Got it?" Alex said before the two men could continue their gossip.

Both men held up their hands in surrender. Neither wanting to get an angry Alex Cabot mad at them. Both had faced her wrath and barely survived the encounter. They didn't need an encore of that experience.

"Hey Ken, why don't ya go in the back and get you and Alex something to eat?" Fin shooed his son away so he could talk to Alex alone.

"Ken, I just want some of the basil tomato soup please?" Alex asked as the young man made his way to the kitchen.

"No prob, be right back," Ken answered as he disappeared into the back of the bar.

"Would ya like a drink?" Fin offered.

"Sure, just some white wine if you got it Fin," Alex answered.

"You got it baby girl," Fin poured her drink.

"So I have a feeling you sent him away to talk about him?" Alex motioned toward his son in the kitchen.

Fin smiled. "That obvious? I am just wonderin' how he is gettin' along at the paper? He's been kinda… quiet lately, and that's not like him. He isn't like, ya know, gettin' into trouble?"

Alex did not like seeing the worried look in her friend's eye. It troubled her to see this usually strong man with a sarcastic quip available in all situations be so melancholy. She hated keeping the revelation that she thought Ken was acting strange also. It hurt her to keep from Fin with what she had seen in the mail room with his son being so secretive and nervous. But she promised Ken she would not tell anyone the knowledge of his girlfriend he trusted her with. Though she questioned if that was really what was going on.

"He is doing great at the paper Fin. All teens go through weird stages, and maybe he is having girl problems of something." Alex winked trying to hint about the problem was, without right out telling Fin and breaking her promise.

"I wish he'd get a girl," he told her.

"You want him to have a girlfriend?" She wanted to clarify. She sensed maybe Ken was really hiding something now other than a girl.

"Ya. I mean, he studies a lot. Which is great, don't get me wrong," Fin took a deep breath as he confided to the blonde. "I just think maybe if he had someone nice and smart, like you honestly… Not sayin' I want ya to date him. You're e a bit too old for him. I mean…!"

"Don't worry old man, I know what you meant." Alex laughed. "No worries."

"I just don't want him to make the same mistakes I did. He came so close Alex, and if it wasn't for ya… I would hate to see what he would have become, or still might become…" Fin trailed off.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Alex grabbed his hand squeezing it in reassurance. "You have done so well for yourself. You made a few mistakes, we all do. But look at you now! Look at that amazing kid, you and his mother did that. Not me. I might have given opportunities but he took them. You raised a great kid Fin. Don't ever think otherwise."

"Thanks baby girl," He squeezed her hand back. "You'll keep your eye out for a nice girl for him?"

Alex laughed and nodded as Ken made his way back from the kitchen with her bowl of soup and his chicken parmesan sandwich. Ken was polite and asked if she needed anything else, then asked if his dad needed anything as well. After she thanked him for bringing her food she gave a wink and a smile at Fin telling him with the look, '_See, told you._'

"So tell me more about this partner ya got. She cute." Fin changed subjects but not before returning the wink to the blonde in appreciation for helping him feel better about his son.

"Why? Looking to see if you got a shot?" Alex sipped her wine.

"Maybe," the former player shrugged jokingly. He was still single as his relationship with Ken's mom never worked out. They were still friends and they both were loving supportive parents.

"I will be sure to bring her next time. She didn't much like the last guy I introduced her too. John hit on her so hard that she might be bruised." Alex giggled at the image of Olivia's face when John had touched her hand.

"Oh God, ya must really hate her if you brought her to see that old pervert." Fin laughed back. "Munch can't not hit on anything with breasts and ovaries. So, tell me about her."

She recalled the entire encounters she had with Olivia, making sure to keep her article and certain details to herself. The blonde told Fin and Ken how they seemed to be butting heads almost none stop, but how when they are able to work together they just click. Alex described how similar but different they were, and she mentioned Olivia's past trouble and the lack of trust she had for her new partner.

"You want my advice baby girl?" Fin cautioned before sticking his nose in her business.

"Do I want to hear it?" Alex asked.

"Probably not," He warned.

"Go ahead, I promise not to kick your ass for sharing your opinion," Alex told.

"Alright. Alex, to me it sounds like ya didn't even give her a chance. Ya might know certain things about her past, but did ya even ask her to what happened? What is the difference that ya gave me a fair shake and she is already condemned? I just think maybe ya need to let her have the chance to gain your trust. But in all honestly it sounds like ya both need to get yur heads outta yur asses, apologize and give each other a shot." Fin bluntly said.

"I say just kiss her already," Ken said in between bites of his sandwich. "I think you got the hots for her and you are just sexually frustrated."

"Boy! Get yur mind outta the gutter." Fin chastised.

"Get HIS mind out of the gutter? What about yours?" Alex teased.

"Fair enough. Come on kid, let's let her finish her meal and ya need to start on your homework." Fin rose patting his son on the back.

After saying their goodbyes both Ken and his dad went to the office of the bar while Alex sat quietly processing what the former gang member had said. How that she had gotten to know him and see he was a good guy after all. He was right. She gave him a chance, so why was it so difficult to do the same with Olivia.

'_I should apologize. God, this won't be easy. I hope she doesn't kill me before I get a word out.' _

The next morning saw Olivia sitting at her desk nursing a well-earned hangover. A strong cup of coffee that tasted like it had already been drank once, only to be reused for a second time. On her desk sat Alex's files on everything she had put together on their article. Still struggling to get over the jet lag, Olivia had come in early to familiarize herself more with Cardinal McDaniel and Robert Maclin. The more she read the more the journalist side of her became convinced that Alex was onto something.

There was way too much evidence to say that this was all coincidences. The brunette did see major holes though. She saw why Alex was trying so hard to find a way to talk with Hector's brother. It seemed unlikely that Maclin would start off with asking the younger brother to a MS-13 gang banger. He had to have approached him or someone else in the gang first, before trying to convince a family member to recruit. In the long run yes, it could work. Hector, a young Latino with connections to a powerful crime organization that is also under the umbrella of La Eme could be a perfect go between. If Cardinal McDaniel had Hector's loyalty, and with Catholicism being a huge influence in the Latino population, the idea of a union between the two could be very profitable to both sides. And very dangerous. Serious repercussions would be felt in dozens of countries across the Americas. And though very unlikely odds wise, if somehow Cardinal McDaniel ever became pope? He could build quite the war chest to possibly buy his way into the papacy with the help of La Eme. And if there was no visible connection found between the two? Olivia shuddered at the thought. Deciding that the mere thought of that happening was too scary to even consider.

Before she could scare herself any further at the possibilities this union formed from hell could create, she noticed Alex making her way over to their desks.

'_Maybe I won't have to worry about all this from happening. I mean, Alex is probably going to kill me before I can get a word out.' _Olivia joked to herself before realizing that it might actually happen.

"Hi Olivia," Alex greeted tersely.

"Hey," Olivia answered back curtly.

Alex Cabot had wanted to be friendly but just seeing the infuriating brunette had brought up all the anger and pain from the day before. Olivia knew it wasn't going to be easy but why could they not even say hello without animosity. They both looked away avoiding eye contact, until almost eerily they would always catch the other's gaze only to awkwardly look away again.

'_Why am I so nervous around her?' _Alex wondered. '_Come on Cabot, grow some ovaries and just apologize. Take the first step!'_

"Look Liv, I'm sorry…" Alex apologized at the same time with Olivia.

"I want to apologize…" Olivia said in unison before they both stopped.

Both strong willed hard headed women blushed laughing at each other quietly. It was still quite awkward but the small humorous moment had lightened the mood.

"I am sorry I overreacted. I didn't mean what I said." Olivia continued.

"Yes you did. And that's okay. You have the right to feel that way, and honestly, I can't deny anything you said. I might not believe it myself, but I am not sure I could truly I can prove you wrong. It hurt. I won't say it didn't. And I know I hurt you. So I want to apologize for hurting you. But I won't lie to you and say I didn't mean what I said." Alex explained.

"You're right. I meant what I said too, but doesn't mean I should have said it either." The brunette sighed. "Question is, can we forgive and work with each other?"

"I can forgive you for what you said, but I still don't trust you Olivia." Alex admitted.

"Though it hurts to hear that Alex, I understand why you feel that way. Especially with my reputation right now," Olivia agreed. "All I can ask though is that please you give me a chance to earn your trust?"

"If you can forgive me for hurting you and also forgive me for how I treated you so far, then I can give you a chance to earn my trust." The blonde offered. "You more than deserve that opportunity after my actions. I forgive you Olivia."

"Thank you Al. I forgive you too. I understand why you acted the way you did when I first arrived. I am sure I would have done the same if I was in your position. With everything that has happened with The Sentinel as of late, and how important it is to you, hell it's your family's legacy. Those were not just coworkers, they were friends. And I can see how my hiring by Elizabeth felt like I was taking their jobs from them. I promise you I wasn't, I just… I needed this job, and when it was offered to me. I had to take it," Olivia explained her reasoning for her actions.

"I understand Liv. I can't say I am not upset that friends were fired and you were hired. But I need to direct my anger on Elizabeth not you. I will do my best to not hold my misgivings about everything that has happened. So I ask you give me another chance too?" Alex asked.

"Of course, so truce?" The brunette held her hand out.

"Truce," the blonde shook her partner's hand.

A jolt shot through each women as they clasped their hands together. Blue eyes met brown and in that moment, the look they gave each other did more in repairing the damage then any words could possibly have done. Both realized that the saying was true, that the eyes are the window to the soul. It felt like for the first time since they met, the two women had finally met one another.

**AN: Thank you all that have reviewed and been extremely supportive. A HUGE thank you to agapeandzoe and Cabson. Thank you Cabson for the great help in being my beta and kicking my ass when I need it. And to agapeandzoe for the couple of great ideas she gave me.**

**Any advice or thoughts please send them, hope the little bit into Olivia's past was enough to get your taste buds begging for more. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Authors note at bottom**

**I own nothing but my original story and characters, all things SVU are owned by NBC and Dick Wolf.**

"So I see you are familiarizing yourself with my research," Alex noticed papers from the files scattered around the brunette's desk.

"God Al, how did you find all this stuff? This must have taken you months!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Eight," The blonde said while sitting at her desk.

"Eight what?" Olivia asked.

"Eight months. Everyday. And most nights at the library, or reading at home, and about to go blind from hours staring at microfiche," Alex explained.

"You've been working on a single article for eight months, everyday?" The brunette wondered. "Don't you write for the newspaper anymore?"

"Yes and yes," The blonde confirmed. "I don't write an article every day, but I do write about three a week. Nothing eye opening, just like the latest political buzz of the nation and city. If I'm desperate the occasional puff piece or human interest story."

Olivia just stared at the woman across from her. She could see the exhaustion that had taken a noticeable toll on her face. Her blue eyes were blood shot and the black circles around those sapphire gems could not be entirely hidden with the extra layer of concealer Alex had clearly used.

"Have you not been sleeping well?" The brunette asked very concerned.

"You want the truth? Or the propaganda ministry's version?" Alex joked trying to lessen her partner's worry.

Olivia snorted in laughter. "Though the propaganda would be interesting to hear, I would prefer the truth."

"No," The blonde sighed. "I am running on empty. I feel like Atlas with the world on my shoulders, but I have no Heracles to help lighten the strain."

"Well, I'm no Greek god, but I have been called an amazon a couple times," Olivia flexed her biceps with a smirk and wiggled her eyebrows in an attempt to get Alex to smile.

Alex laughed at the face Olivia had made with her posing. She was touched at the gesture Olivia had made in offering to help Alex with her problems. She appreciated the humorous look as well, because if the toned brunette had just flexed her muscles, she was not sure she would have been able to control her heart rate or blush. The laughing slowly turned to nervous giggles as she looked up to see her partner still flexing with a cute smile on her face.

Olivia also hoped that the offer would encourage her partner to let the brunette help carry the load of whatever burden she was carrying. This could be a start for Alex to start giving her a chance to earn that elusive trust. She smiled when she saw that Alex had closed her eyes and laughed heartily. It warmed her heart that she could bring a smile to that beautiful almost to pale face. Olivia hoped that their new partnership could help the overworked journalist get the rest she desperately needed.

"You can um, stop posing stud," Alex squeaked hoping she wasn't blushing too hard. "And just helping with the article will be a huge relief to me. But thank you for the offer.

"Oh yeah," Olivia bite her lip to keep from laughing at realizing she was still acting like Ms. Muscles. "Sorry."

"Don't worry stud, it was cute."Alex let the revelation slip. '_Oh no, did I just say that out loud!'_

The brunette's jaw dropped but she quickly recovered by clearing her throat as she felt herself start to feel flush from the compliment and those beautiful blue eye's staring at her. '_Stud? What the hell?' _Olivia had to take the offensive and deflect the awkward blushing back onto the blonde and away from her.

"Cute? I am not cute. I am dead sexy!" Olivia posed again.

'_Is she flirting with me? No, she is just joking around trying to get me to laugh or something.' _Alex leered a moment to long before tearing her eye's away and quickly tried to change the subject. "So um anyway, do you have any questions about the article?"

The short haired woman was actually thankful that Alex had returned the focus back to business. Olivia knew if this back and forth continued, she wouldn't be able to control herself before her hormones got away from her. '_Are we flirting? No way, we can't be. We barely stand to be in the same room together for any extended amount of time. I'm just imagining things.'_

"Ah, yes I do." The brunette thumbed through some of the pages she had read earlier.

Alex waited for Olivia while she prepared for her inquires. She got out a pad of paper and a pen from her satchel to take notes. When she looked up, Alex noticed her partner's brow furrowed in concentration. Alex felt herself impressed with the brunette's focus. She knew they were both affected by the earlier awkwardness, and they both were totally oblivious of the other's attraction to one another.

"Okay!" Olivia shuffled the pages she needed answers to. "Now look, I am going to be brutally honest, okay?"

"Why does everyone say that to me?" Alex recognized the similar warning from Fin. "I can handle the truth. Is everyone scared of me or something?"

"Well I can't speak for everyone, but you can be a bit… bitchy," Olivia mumbled the last word.

"Takes one to know one!" Alex countered.

"Touché, IF we were on a playground and you were in pigtails." The brunette smiled at the image.

"Fine! I am a bitch. I am the biggest bitch in the universe." The blonde huffed.

"I wouldn't go that far. Maybe the galaxy, but I doubt the universe." Olivia joked.

"No, in the universe. I hate losing." Alex tried to glare but failed to fool Olivia.

"Not your best attempt at faking anger Cabot, now can we get back to business?" Olivia asked.

"Then don't distract me." Alex smiled.

Olivia ignored the playful jab with her own smile.

"Okay, so…" The brunette took a deep breath. She was nervous of another fight occurring between the two passionate women. "I will admit, the evidence you have against McDaniel is staggering, but it's all circumstantial. But I think you already know that. I'm not going to insult your intelligence and assume you didn't."

Alex nodded her head in agreement but did not speak. She already was aware of the flimsy nature of her claims. But it was a blow to hear that she was not just being hard on herself, and that another agreed that they needed more solid evidence to prove that the revered Cardinal was really a criminal.

After seeing that was the only response she was going to get, Olivia continued. "With Maclin taking a proverbial vow of silence in prison, it's basically a respected holy man known for his charity and service to the underprivileged youth, versus Hector, a kid with questionable family ties who refuses to talk to cops or be anything more than an anonymous source. That makes us up shit creek without a paddle."

Olivia's migraine was returning with a vengeance. She took the time to let her synopsis sit seeing if Alex would say something this time, while she took a sip of her coffee. The blonde just sat there like a statue. Her face unreadable and her eye's though centered on Olivia, it seemed her partner was lost in her own brain.

"Look, I haven't gotten through this whole thing. And I doubt I ever will with Liz breathing down our necks. But is there anything that you can tell me that would help find another avenue to take to get the information we need?" Olivia asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice fearful that Alex went back on her promise and was ignoring her.

"Unless Hector changes his mind, or another person within McDaniel's operation comes forward I don't see anything changing anytime soon. I talked to volunteers at Reset Button but since they don't employ anyone and it's none profit, not many people stay long term. The only full term employees are McDaniel himself and an accountant that handles all of the donations and funds. And before you even ask, he is clean. Like bathes in bleach clean. He makes no money as he does it free of charge and uses it as a tax write off. All donations are required to have been notarized by a third party. Every cent is accounted for, and they have such a high success rate with the kids that participate. I can only assume that McDaniel personally seeks out kids that he knows he can manipulate and mold from within the foundation." Alex answered.

"It sounds like you are describing a college recruiter for a football team," Olivia compared. "You hold a tryout inviting only those that has the abilities you need, and out of the hundreds you invite, you scout of the perfect one and offer the prospect a scholarship."

"Actually, that is a very good comparison. It's a win-win, he creates the perfect auditioning process by using the foundation for at risk kids, and who better to recruit from? He finds the perfect candidate, builds trust with them, gives special attention, training, opportunities, and to protect himself sends them as his new talent scouts. If they get caught, they are so brainwashed and loyal to him they sacrifice themselves to save him, and he comes off as the personification of true charity that Jesus himself preached about." Alex added.

"God, he is like the Pope Urban II and these kids are his crusaders. They go off willing to die for 'The Cause.' They are true zealots for their savior. No wonder Robbie referred to him as God when talking with Hector, we are so fucked. None of his disciples will turn on him, and the people willing to talk are not trustworthy because of their checkered past. So unless we Watergate him, or find the one solid thread that connects him to these criminal activities we are totally and thoroughly fucked!" Olivia huffed in frustration.

"That's why I asked if maybe any of your contacts can find anything on his missionaries. If we can find proof the missionaries with ties to him are involved in illegal activities, or even better, if they are caught using the church's influence and abilities to aid and expand their operation, we could threaten them with involving the authorities of that country, or even Interpol. Maybe even threaten to expose their identities to opposing drug dealers in the area, they will turn on McDaniel!" Alex explained with growing excitement.

"I… I don't think that is a good idea…" Olivia's mood suddenly shifted from interest at Alex's idea, to one of apprehension. "Trust me Alex. You don't need that on your conscience."

Alex was confused by the brunette's warning. Olivia looked like she was going to be sick. Her brown eye's started to tear up and she rose to excuse herself before Alex grabbed her arm to stop her from running away.

"Liv, what's wrong?" Alex asked.

"Like you don't know Alex," Olivia whispered sadly, with a hint of defensiveness.

Suddenly it hit the blonde. She realized why Olivia's sudden despondent reaction to her suggestion.

"Oh Liv, I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I just… I wasn't actually saying we would tell the other drug dealers and risk their lives or their families. Just maybe threaten to get them to talk. I understand your reservations about it, and I am sorry I brought it up. Forget I said anything about that." Alex panicked trying to back pedal.

"Lex, it's okay. No need to apologize. You didn't… well you did know, but I know it wasn't a personal shot to me. I know you weren't serious suggesting that too. But can I please have a moment." Olivia looked like she was about to fall apart.

"Okay. Really Olivia, I'm sorry. If you ever want or need to talk about it, believe it or not, I am a good listener." Alex offered while loosening her grip on the brunette's arm.

"I'm not much of a sharer," Olivia admitted while she started to walk away.

"How am I supposed to start trusting you if you aren't open with me?" Alex stated.

This stopped the brunette in her tracks. That felt like a cheap shot, but her partner made a good point. How were they supposed to trust one another if she isn't open? But then she remembered the photo and index card and a whole other guilt joined up with this one. '_But she isn't telling me the story behind that either. She knows I caught a glimpse of it in Donnelly's office. Why should I be open if she won't show the same curtesy? Maybe for the sake of keeping it civil between us, I will agree to think about being open.'_

"You're right. IF I need to talk, I will keep you in mind. But, I expect the same in return." Olivia counter offered before walking to the bathroom.

Alex wasn't sure why Olivia expected her to be open as well. Hadn't she been open already by sharing her research into McDaniel? '_I brought her to meet John Munch a good friend of mine even though he couldn't stop hitting on her, offered to show her around town, and even shared the knowledge of where to get the greatest hamburger in the world! What the hell is she trying to insinuate?'_

She could not believe she was so stupid. Alex knew about Olivia's past and she insensitively recommended to employ a strategy that almost killed her new partner's career. Yes, it was Olivia's fault that she choose that path, but still Alex wasn't serious about endangering the missionaries by ratting them out to competitors. She should have remembered it would still be an open wound to the brunette. Alex knew the gist of the article Olivia had written that ended up in tragedy, but not the whole story. Maybe if Alex proved to be a good partner, possibly even a friend, Olivia would trust her enough to explain the reasons why she did what she did.

A few minutes later Olivia returned. She had repaired the cracks that allowed her emotions to seep through and came back more determined to rebuild her life. She will prove to Alex that she was a real journalist by being strong and finishing this article together.

"You okay?" Alex carefully inquired as she watched the brunette sit back in her chair.

"I'm good," Olivia replied. Though she could tell the blonde didn't believe her.

"Are we… Good?" Alex nervously wondered.

"We're good." Olivia assured. This time making sure that her partner believed her.

"Good." The blonde relaxed in her seat.

"So um, back to your ideas." The brunette started. "As you can tell, I am not okay with the threat of involving the other gang cartels, but I will agree to say we will involve the international authorities and Interpol. Because we will. But this all might be a moot point, I haven't heard anything back from the people I contacted yet. It has only been about ten hours anyway. So that's a waiting game. What else could we do?"

"I was thinking of trying to convince Hector one more time to help me talk with his brother and see if he has held back anything. He actually has a clean record in school and is well spoken. I am convinced that Maclin targeted him because of his brother's ties to MS-13, with the last resort being the slim chance Hector might end up joining the gang later. But I could see people believing him, even a jury. He is convincing and he has had direct contact with McDaniel. It would still be a long shot if went to court, but at least if would be enough to expose him to people and hurt his operation. The whole reason it works is the anonymity he has. If we can get him on the Feds and society's radar… I will consider that a victory, I just need the proof to back up my claims." Alex spoke with determination.

Olivia couldn't help but admire the spunky blonde. She smiled at her partner and shook her head.

"You know Al, you really choose the wrong profession. Don't get me wrong, you really are a great journalist and I know I said you were too afraid to leave the nest, but I was dead wrong. I always thought you had to go out in the real world and not be afraid to fall off the horse. But if you can expose McDaniel… Alex, you'll be famous for changing the world. Are you sure you weren't supposed to be like an Attorney General?" Olivia was impressed with Alex's drive for justice.

"And deal with all that political bullshit? No thank you, I prefer the nest." Alex stood winking at Olivia. "Let's go try to convince a young boy to be a man."

The rental car pulled up into the parking lot of a skate park. Kids of varying ages, races, and backgrounds were all trying to outdo each other with grinds, jumps, spins, and ollies. Oohs and aahs were cheered after each successful trick, while groans chorused the falls.

The two women strolled through the park looking for Hector who was known to frequent the skating grounds. Alex winced as she saw one kid miscue a jump forcing him to pitch forward using his bare hands to cushion his fall. The blonde quickly looked away afraid that she would hear a sickening snap with an accompanying scream. When a scream finally ended she couldn't help but peek. The teen was on his knees holding his hands up blood dripping from the scuffed mangled skin. A couple boys she assumed were his friends, ran up with towels that she was sure weren't sanitary enough to clean a wound like that.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to risk their wellbeing by doing this stuff. 'Oh let's like… go break our arms and legs and junk, while getting radical road rash and totally bruise our testicles dude!'" Alex said in a stereotypical eighties skater accent.

"Okay first off, that is the worst impression I have ever heard in my life. Second, this isn't nineteen eighty three and we're not in the San Fernando Valley. You need to update your lingo," Olivia pointed out with a giggle.

"Whatever," Alex huffed while rolling her eyes.

"Oh God! Please tell me you sounded like Alicia Silverstone in Clueless when you were in high school." The brunette hoped.

"No!" The blonde denied. "You already know I was a valedictorian, but I was also on the debate team, I wrote for the school newspaper, and I played the violin. WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING!?"

"You were a band geek!" Olivia teased through her laughter.

"I wasn't a geek! And it was an orchestra not a band," Alex pouted.

"Close enough," Olivia's sides began to ache.

Alex stopped and spun around glaring at the brunette. "And who exactly was Olivia Benson in high school?"

"I was a jock." Olivia smirked.

"I would have pegged you as the bad girl smoking behind the school and spent more time in detention then studying." Alex accused.

"I can't deny I didn't do any of that stuff occasionally. Yeah, I was a bit of a pain at times, and I wasn't the teacher's pet, but I made the honor roll consistently and I was on the girls' varsity basketball team as the starting forward. I didn't really have time for clubs. I had an after school job that took most of my free time when I wasn't at practice." Olivia explained.

"That must have been hard to find time for homework or a social life." Alex thought.

"I did have time for homework, but didn't really have a social life." Olivia started to look away and grow quieter as she spoke. "Which one Is Hector?

Alex could tell that her partner was starting to close herself off. She knew that it was hard for anyone to talk about the hardships of their lives, but at least Olivia was willing to share the happy moments with her. It was nothing that was eye opening and revealing, but it was a start. She knew not to push for more information for now, so she let Olivia shift their attention back on finding Hector.

"Um," Alex looked around the various ramps and scores of kids before finally spotting him. "Over there. He is the one with the yellow hoodie with the Aztec art on the back and front."

Olivia searched the area that Alex had pointed out. She finally noticed a blur of yellow streak by onto the ramp to perform a trick. He was a bit stocky to be honest, and she could tell not very athletic from his struggles of keeping balance on the board while attempting the various maneuvers. '_At least the kid is trying instead of being lazy or afraid of failing. That could be a good trait to build upon to get him to open up and maybe even change his mind about going to the police.'_

"Ah okay, I see him," Olivia pulled the sunglasses she had been wearing off.

The two made their way over to the ramp and made sure to be rather obvious so they would be noticed by the young man. After a few cat calls from a few under age over confident self-professed ladies men, Hector finally spotted the two women. He recognized Alex immediately having talked with her a few times already, but the other woman beside her was a mystery to him.

The young Latino tried to kick up his board to grab without bending, but after a couple tries he cursed and resigned to having to pick it up off the ground. Hector was getting frustrated at not being able to successfully perform any of the tricks his peers had mastered. That was only the first thing that made him stand out from the crowd, and not in a good way. He was not truly overweight, maybe barely pudgy but to the teens around him that meant he was fat. Nature seemed to have singled him out, he had been a late bloomer and that meant he was shorter and more childlike in his appearance. Everything about Hector screamed outsider. He didn't wear the same clothes, talked in the popular vernacular, and he had a head of curly black hair where most boys had taken on the buzzed head look.

Alex waved the young man over. He shuffled his way to the women standing closer to the blonde then the brunette. Olivia could read from his posture that he was closed off to strangers. She realized it must have been very difficult for him, and took a great deal of courage to approach Alex that day in school.

"Hey Alex. What's up?" Hector asked while shifting his eyes over from Alex to Olivia and back.

"Hi Hector, this is Olivia." Alex introduced her partner to the teen.

"Hey Hector," Olivia greeted.

"Hey," the young Latino quietly responded.

"She works with me at the newspaper, and she wants to help me in trying to get more information on McDaniel." Alex explained.

"You told her?" Hector's tone implying hurt and betrayal. He almost looked like he was going to walk away. The pain in his eyes was easily identifiable.

"I'm sorry Hector. I didn't betray your confidence or your safety. I promise." Alex apologized hoping to not scare him off. "Can we maybe go over to the picnic table over there and I can explain, please?"

The teen bit his lip and looked away again as if trying to find an escape route or maybe looking to see if someone suspicious followed the two women.

"Hector, I know that you are feeling a bit betrayed but Alex didn't have a choice. And I promise you that I will not tell anyone about anything Alex or you tell me. I know you approached her that day for a reason. You thought that you could trust her when you saw her that day at school, and you couldn't have picked a better person to confide in. Hector, I am actually her new partner and if she trusts me enough to tell me about everything you told her and she thinks I could help you, maybe you could give me a chance to win your trust as well? If not, I can go take a walk while you talk with Alex. No pressure." Olivia kindly offered.

Alex was impressed with Olivia's ability to talk with Hector. If the blonde was honest with herself, she had a hard time dealing with kids and even worse teens. She didn't have the patience to deal with mood swings and especially with the new trend of these pre adults expecting you to respect them, but they don't respect you. Olivia seemed like a natural though. The only reason that Alex was able to even communicate with Hector was because the boy approached her almost in desperation. She knew that he was drowning, not sure where to go for help and when she had appeared at the school, she was the figurative life preserver he latched too for dear life. Lucky for Alex the young Latino was also mature for his age, even though his baby face made people assume he was younger then he actually was.

Hector sighed. "Okay, I don't have much time but we can talk until I have to go."

As the trio made their way to the table, Alex and Olivia looked at each other. They both suspected he really didn't have to go anywhere. That it was his escape plan in case he got nervous, he could use the excuse and leave. In a silent conversation done with looks and shrugs the two woman agreed that they had to be careful with their wording and questions. Alex sat next to Hector almost in a protective way, hoping that would make him feel safe and relax a bit by being around someone he know won't hurt him. Olivia sat across from the two keeping her hands on the table to show she was not hiding anything.

"Hector, have you thought about what we talked about last time?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Hector nodded head glued to his hands as he fiddled with a paint chip on the table.

The two women shared a look knowing that this was not going to be easy. Alex had informed Olivia in the car that she had been trying to see if he could talk to his brother about Robert Maclin. If his brother knew who Robbie was or if he was approached by Robbie like Hector had been. But every time she had inquired about it, the teen would have an excuse ready. From he wasn't at home, or he didn't have chance, or actually being honest and admitting he was afraid of his brother's reaction.

"Hey Hector, it's okay if you don't want to talk to him. Alex or I won't be disappointed. Maybe instead of you talking with him, we could talk with him?" Olivia asked with a sympathetic smile.

That got the teen to look up at the brunette. He looked skeptical. Olivia wasn't sure if it was like, 'Are you crazy?' type of look, or a 'What's your game?' mistrust of her intentions.

"He won't talk to you." Hector finally said.

"To me or to Olivia?" Alex wondered.

"Both of you. He doesn't talk to cops, or reporters, or lawyers. Says they all lie." He explained.

"So, you asked him?" Olivia lightly pushed.

"No. I just know he won't." Hector looked away again getting antsy.

"Maybe if we approach him?" Alex tried.

The boy snorted in derision. "I thought you were smart, guess not."

The two women shared another look. They had a feeling that they knew what he was hinting at but needed conformation.

"Can you explain what you mean by that Hector?" Olivia asked.

"I already told you! He doesn't trust reporters." Hector frustratingly retold.

"I know you did sweetie, but maybe if he didn't know we were reporters?" The blonde inquired.

"He won't talk to you Alex, even if he didn't know you were a reporter." Hector answered.

"But why?" Alex pushed getting frustrated herself at the deflective answers.

"Because you are white. Geez, are you stupid?! He would hurt you, or kill you if you tried. Plus, you are a girl." The teen yelled and rose from the table to leave.

Olivia knew that Alex had pushed a bit too hard.

"Hector," Olivia rose with her hands visible. "I know what you are doing."

The teen glared at the short haired reporter.

"How the hell would you know?" He rudely demanded.

"You are trying to protect Alex." Olivia stated.

This caused the young Latino's eyes to widen. Olivia had apparently guessed right. She had a feeling this boy was only getting frustrated and mad because he was worried that Alex would get hurt if she got near his brother.

"He hurts women, doesn't he?" Olivia carefully made her way to the other side of the table.

He looked toward Alex. "Yeah."

Olivia sat down and looked up at him with compassion flowing from her warm brown eyes. Alex was entranced by what she was witnessing. She was sure that they had screwed up. That Hector was going to run. The blonde had a feeling that he liked her. She didn't know if it was a crush, or because she was nice to him. But Alex never suspected that the reason he was not helping anymore was he felt he needed to protect her.

"Does he only hurt white woman?" Olivia continued.

Alex's brow furrowed wondering where her partner was going with the line of questioning.

"No." Hector shook his head.

"All women?" Olivia scooted closer.

"No." Hector looked toward Olivia, his curiosity peaking along with Alex's at what the brunette journalist was getting at.

"What women doesn't he hurt? Family? Friends?" Olivia needed the boy to be specific.

"Women like you." Hector pointed out to Olivia.

This made both woman rise up in surprise at the teen's statement. Alex looked at her partner in confusion.

"Like me?" Olivia needed an explanation.

"Yeah. You're Latina, duh." Hector said like he thought it should have been obvious to the two reporters. "Look, I gotta get home Alex. I promised my mom I'd help babysit my little sister."

"Okay Hector," Alex conceded knowing she wasn't going to get anything else out of him. "Need a ride?"

"No thanks, see yeah!" The teen yelled already yards away.

"No. Hell no. Absolutely not happening," Alex stated firmly.

"Come on Alex," Olivia whined as she drove. "It could be our only chance, why not?"

"Okay, first you aren't a Latina. You're Caucasian. We aren't cops Liv. It's not our job to risk our lives," Alex argued. "We report the news, not make it."

"Great line Al. Did you make that up all yourself?" Olivia sarcastically remarked. "Because I remember that lesson from Journalism 101. I'm actually half white and half Hungarian. But if Hector mistook me for being from Spanish decent, maybe his brother will too."

"I'm serious Olivia. We are not doing this. It's not even an option. Discussion over." Alex announced.

"Technically it would be me doing this, not us." Olivia corrected.

The blonde responded to her partner with a smoldering glare. Olivia shrunk away as she turned the corner at the light.

"It could be our best chance. Our only chance." Olivia tried to convince the blonde.

"We still have your contacts Liv," Alex reminded.

"Okay, I will make you a deal. If any of my contacts respond and they have any useful information, I will forget all about this idea of going undercover." Olivia offered a compromise.

"And if you don't get a response back?" Alex asked although knowing what the brunette would want.

"Then we revisit my idea of trying to get close to Hector's brother," Olivia answered exactly how Alex had thought she would.

"Olivia, you could get hurt. Or worse," Alex tried to make her partner change her mind.

"I could've gotten hurt or worse in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia, Laos, Russia, and both Congo's. This is not even as close to as dangerous those assignments were." Olivia explained as she pulled up to the curb in front of Alex's apartment that she was directed to by the blonde.

"Danger is danger. It's everywhere." The blonde said more to herself then to Olivia. Her mind straying to the anonymous threatening correspondences.

"Exactly! I could get in a car wreck, or an earthquake could happen and BAM!" The brunette slapped the car's steering wheel. "I'm a pancake!"

Alex jumped in surprise from the loud smack that echoed from inside the car.

"So can you think about it please? I will take full responsibility if something happens since the whole things my idea." Olivia explained.

"Even IF I did agree to support your stupid dangerous idea, it would be pointless anyway." Alex sighed.

"Why?" Olivia was starting to get annoyed at Alex's less then supportive attitude. She put the car in park knowing that she might be stuck her for a while.

"Liz would kill you if you even mentioned the idea to her. There is NO way she will approve you going undercover." Alex told. "Plus I would kill you myself if you screwed up my article or if something happened to you. I don't need the guilt that would come from you being hurt or worse. Would you please forget about this whole thing?"

"I will drop it, for now. If you agree to consider my idea if all other options fail. Deal?" Olivia held her hand out.

"Fine." Alex shook her hand. "Like I said, it's pointless anyway."

"We'll see." Olivia whispered turning away before Alex could glare at her again.

"So um, what are you doing tomorrow?" Alex wondered trying to change the subject.

"Well, I need to find a drug store to get some essentials. I also need to find a laundromat that's close to the hotel and I should get familiar with the town since I plan on being here for a while." Olivia told her.

"Well, I am not really doing anything tomorrow. I decided to take your advice and try to relax for a day before things get crazy if we get lucky with a lead. I was going to go for a jog. If you aren't too busy I could show you around while we ran?" Alex invited.

"Sure." Olivia smiled as she felt a rush of excitement at getting to spend time with Alex outside of work. "Just text me in the morning when … you know, you REALLY need a cell phone."

"I will CALL you, if you give me your number." Alex smirked.

The blonde reached into her tote and pulled out a pen and a pad of paper. She waited for Olivia to give her number, but the brunette had pilfered the pen from her hand and grabbed her arm. Alex squeaked when her partner started scribbling her cell phone number on her palm.

"You're weird." Alex said pulling her hand free after Olivia had finished.

"You're weird." Olivia rebounded the statement back with a smirk of her own.

Alex chuckled as she left the car. After the brunette put the car into drive and started down the road the blonde waved goodbye to her partner watching the sedan disappear around the corner. Alex made her way into the apartment complex and up the stairs to her floor.

'_I could really use a long bath hot bath and a nice glass of wine.' _Alex moaned as she thought how great that felt.

The blonde reached her floor and as she pushed her key into her door she froze. Turning from side to side Alex felt someone was watching her.

"Hello?" Alex called out.

After no answer or sound she decided she thought that maybe her mind was playing tricks on her and she was just paranoid. But her gut said to not ignore the feeling. She made her way into her apartment and realized that she was once again going to ignore her growing mass of clutter to hang out with Olivia tomorrow. '_Who cares, I am not expecting anyone to come over anyway.' _Ryan was the exception because of her needing to involve the cops on the letters, but Alex never invited people over. She didn't have time since she was married to her job.

Before she could shut the door, Alex's phone started to ring. Knowing that she rarely received phone calls and expecting word from either Ryan or from Liz, she quickly closed the door and answered the phone before it went to the answering machine.

"Cabot," The blonde answered. "Hello?"

Alex waited for a couple of seconds before inquiring again if anyone was there. After no answer she hung the phone up and checked her messages just in case the unknown caller had tried earlier. A couple of calls were from telemarketers, Alex hated that even though she was unlisted they still somehow found her number. And the last was from Donald.

"Hello Alex. I hope you are okay? I know you get busy princess but I hope you just forgot to call me the other day and something didn't happen to you. Anyway, I am cooking a roast for dinner Sunday and if you're free, I would love the company. Call me." The beep ended the message.

"Fuck." Alex swore at herself.

She was furious at herself for breaking her promise to Don about calling him more often. As she picked up her phone to apologize the blonde could not stop the guilt that clawed at her heart. After several rings his own message machine picked up.

"This is Donald Cragen. I am either busy, or not at home right now, so please leave a message after the beep. And I will get back to you as soon as I can." The older man's voice made her smile, even when it's just a recording.

"Hey Poppy, It's me. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to purposefully ignore you. It's just… this article is taking over my life, and Elizabeth forced a new partner on me, and I have been… really busy," Alex had changed her original thought suddenly.

She almost told Don about the strange letters and threats she had been receiving, but quickly she censored herself and replaced it by saying how busy she was. The blonde didn't want Don to worry for her safety in case this was whole thing ended up being nothing more than a prank or a desperate attempt for attention.

"I would love to have dinner Sunday." The blonde had accepted the invite while she walked to her bathroom and turned on the faucet to the bathtub waiting it to warm then plugged it up to fill.

"I hope you are okay Poppy. I will call later, k? I love you." Alex hung up the phone and then poured in some oils and bath salts into the rising water.

She put the cordless phone by the tub just in case Don would call back, or if anyone called. After lighting a few candles, the blonde stripped herself of her clothing and left them in a heap on the tiled floor. Now nude, Alex made her way to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. The cool fall air effecting her skin, causing it to shiver. Goose bumps rose onto her milky skin. She quickly padded back to the bathroom that was now degrees hotter due to the heat of the water filling the room. She shut the door to the small room and the glass started to fog from the humid air wafting around her. Alex stopped the flow of water and slowly slipped into the water letting her body adjust to the heat before fully immersing herself in the water. The blonde's muscles were almost immediately soothed and relaxed, her stress exiting her body with a moan.

Alex had tried meditation before almost always failing to stop her mind from overthinking. The only thing that seemed to relax her now days was to pick a subject and focus hard on that. Usually she would pick her own subject randomly but as she tried only one thing kept entering her mind, Olivia Benson.

Olivia's idea was too dangerous. Alex thought the reason her partner was pushing her to accept the risky proposal was because of the brunette's need to prove herself to the blonde, and possibly even to atone for the past. Olivia was a puzzle Alex could not solve and that drove her nearly insane. The feelings she had for the short haired hot shot journalist were comparable to a heart attack on an EKG. Almost complete anger and hatred for the annoying, pushy, sarcastic, and cocky reporter, then a second later Alex could see the sweet, caring, smart, sometimes funny, and in actuality unconfident woman she really was below the layer of bravado. It was a wall, a cover to protect herself. Something deep inside the blonde compelled her to figure out the what, when, why, where, how and who Olivia Benson really is.

Suddenly a loud bang outside the bathroom door but inside the apartment startled Alex from her thoughts. Even though the heat had made her skin resemble a steamed lobster, the blonde felt an ice cold dagger rip down her spine leaving her frozen in fear.

Alex Cabot realized that she had forgotten to lock the front door…

**An: Thank you so much for the help to agapeandzoe, littlemissnicap, and especially to Cabson. I couldn't have a better beta reader then Cabson, thank you! **

**Please any ideas, suggestions, or if you point of flaws or continuity issues. Please tell me so I can fix it, and if any confusion let me know. Thank you for reviews, keep them coming!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**I own the originally story and my characters, SVU characters are owned by Dick Wolf and NBC**

Alex was scared stiff. She was not alone. Someone had made their way into her home. The world had gone silent, except for the sound of the intruder's footsteps on the wood floor of her apartment. Step, step, step, creak.

'_Oh God!' _Alex started to panic.

That creaky floorboard revealed the location of the individual. It meant they had just stepped into the hallway. Just a few more steps and they would be at the bathroom door. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. She couldn't stop herself from hyperventilating. Alex looked at the door and the blood drained from her face. Not only had she not locked her apartment door, she had not locked the bathroom door either.

She jumped quickly in a rush to escape the bath, but that action caused the water to slosh over the tub's rim onto the tiled floor. The footsteps stopped, and the terrified journalist knew the invader had heard her. Alex scrambled out of the bathtub in a desperate attempt to get to the lock. The water that escaped onto the floor had made it slick, and as soon as she stepped onto the tile she slipped. Alex's ankle twisted with a loud pop and before she could register the pain, her hip slammed hard against the tile. She screamed in pain and her agonizing cry filtered through the crack at the bottom of the door, this signaled to the intruder that they had to move fast.

The combined terror of the situation at hand and the fact she was stark naked spurred her on to forget the pain and get to the door. She scrambled in a crawl and as she reached for the lock her damp fingers slipped against the metal latch. With a loud whimper the blonde tried again, the footsteps had reached the entrance to the bathroom.

"Come on!" Alex screamed.

The lock latched just as the door knob stared to turn. It twisted back and forth as the intruder tried to gain entry. After a moment, Alex felt a pressure against the door. She gasped as a hard shove rattled the entryway. In desperation she pressed herself against the door to hopefully fortify the barrier between the two of them. Then as suddenly as it all started, it stopped. Whomever it was seemed to have given up as their footsteps retreated down the hall.

Knowing that she wasn't so lucky that they would just give up and leave, the frightened blonde looked around the bathroom for anything that she could use to help her. Something that could be used as a weapon or maybe used to barricade the door with. But nothing would work, the fixtures were fastened to the walls and she doubted that this psycho would be scared off by a toilet brush or plunger. Then she saw it. The telephone.

Her adrenaline reserve was quickly depleting and the pain in her ankle and hip started to throb. Alex knew that soon the dull ache would soon evolve into a crippling agony. She pulled herself away from the door and risked the extra support of defense to get to the phone. As soon as she had it in her grasp she dialed the only number she could think of.

"Pick up pick up pick!" Alex begged through her tears.

Ring after ring passed without an answer. This caused the blonde to cry harder. She was about to hang up and try to call 911, when finally they answered.

"Hello?" A sleep infused voice greeted.

"Ryan, someone is in my apartment!" Alex screamed at the Detective for help.

"Alex, there's no need to yell!" Ryan pulled the phone from his ringing ear.

"Fucking help me you asshole! Someone is…" Alex's tirade toward the complaining man was interrupted before she could finish.

Before she could finish her plea, a series of violent bangs rained against the wooden door and she rushed back to reinforce it. The assault raged and caused her to drop the phone and skid away from her reach. Alex felt the door start to give and she tried to use her body to keep the door closed. The blonde shrieked with each ram against the now splintered door.

Ryan heard Alex's voice become distant from the phone and then he heard Alex scream. She was in hysterics and then he heard a loud bang. He didn't know what was happening and assumed she had lost the phone in some sort of struggle.

"Alex!" Ryan yelled. "Alex!"

He didn't want to hang up his cell in case Alex retrieved it, but the Detective needed to contact his partner or at least call it into dispatch, but he could not just hang up on her. Especially in the situation Alex seemed to be in. She could be hurt, or being attacked, or worse. Ryan needed to hear her voice, even if it was a scream to know she was still alive. He ran out of his apartment just in sweat pants, his keys and his gun. He couldn't stop to get dressed, he didn't have time to make a call on his apartment phone. Ryan Jordan had to get there now, the clock was ticking, and if it reached zero, Alex Cabot could be dead.

Meanwhile for Alex, everything just stopped. There was no more slamming into the door and no footsteps. All that was heard were her own sobs. Each second that ticked by felt like an hour to the terrified woman. Alex bent down and peeked underneath the door to see if the intruder was just standing there biding their time. Waiting for her to think everything was safe and make the mistake of opening the door. Alex jumped as the cordless phone beeped signaling the battery was too low to work.

She wasn't sure if Ryan was coming to her aide. So even though she knew that what she was about to do was the dumbest thing possible, she did it anyway. Alex stood up putting all her weight on her good ankle. She was too distracted at the moment to remember to cover herself with a towel, and her robe was hanging in the closet in her bedroom. The blonde unlatched the door and slowly opened it. She stuck her head out to see if anyone was in the hallway. Her golden hair was soaked and clung to her face, neck and shoulders. Alex needed to get to her land line phone in her bedroom and call 911 this time.

'_Fuck that dumbass, he is useless. I can't believe he bitched to me about yelling, my life was in danger you idiot!_' Alex complained to herself.

She used the wall in the hallway to help keep her balance as the blonde hopped and limped her way to the bedroom. Alex kept looking over her shoulder in case the psycho happened to appear behind her. She felt like a fly stupidly flying toward the spider's web as she noticed her bedroom was pitch black. Alex stood at the edge of the darkness. She refused to enter the dark room so she reached her shaking arm into the black shadow. The blonde curved her arm and slapped at the wall. Alex bit her lip as she felt around the wallpaper searching for the light switch.

The journalist felt ridiculous. She was a grown woman for god sake, and her she is too afraid to enter her own room. But then again, not every grown woman has a possible demented serial killer breaking into their home. After a few more failed attempts she finally found the switch and flipped it on. The darkness was chased away by the revealing light. Alex poked her head into the room and looked around seeing that no one was in it. She limped into her bedroom with a grimace as she tried to put take a step on the ankle. The blonde thanked God that her closet was open and she could see that no one was inside. She snatched her robe and quickly wrapped it around her cold wet body. After cinching the belt tight around her middle she went to check the last place someone could hide in her room, under her bed. Alex tried to bend over to look under the bed, but this just made her yelp in pain as her hip screamed in protest. She finally was able to check under the bed. With a sigh of relief that no monsters inhabited the space, the blonde closed her bedroom door. Luckily there was a lock on it, and for further comfort she slide the chair that sat by her vanity and braced it under the door knob.

Alex started to make her way to the phone that sat on the bedside table. She was finally able to breathe now that she was safe inside her room for the time being, and no longer naked. But before she made it, she saw something on her bed.

"Oh God," Alex gasped.

On her pillow was another letter. Next to it was a small package. She was already sickened that someone broke into her home. Though technically, it was her own fault for not locking the front door. Still that didn't give anyone the right to walk in without being invited. But seeing that this person had been in her bedroom, the room most people associated with as a sanctuary made her physically ill. The one place she was supposed to feel perfectly safe in was now tainted.

'_How could I sleep in that bed anymore? I would never feel safe enough to fall asleep on it again. I would be constantly jumping at every noise I heard and every shadow I saw.'_

She limped her way to the bed and saw the envelope had the same block lettering as the others.

'_Your last chance Alexandra.'_

After reading the words the blonde felt like an icy hand had reached into her chest, closed around her heart, and started to squeeze. Alex assumed that '_Your last chance…' _meant if she didn't respond to this warning, the woman in the photo could be in serious danger. She couldn't live with another's death on her conscience.

Alex knew she should wait until Ryan arrived before opening the letter or the package. There could be finger prints or evidence of some kind that could be on one of the items. She had not heard back yet if the previous letter had any DNA or fibers that could have been traced back to this psycho. Elizabeth had called Alex back into her office the other day when she had brought the picture and note card to her boss's attention, and told her to get the picture and note card over to the police as well, and she hadn't yet. She could already hear Ryan screaming at her about her not being careful. That she shouldn't have let others handle the correspondences and risk further contamination of the evidence.

"It's my home. I will not let this bastard do this to me. I won't let who ever this is terrorize me." Alex tried to pump herself up with a faux confident speech.

"Fuck it! This letter was meant for me, not Ryan, and I have the right to know what's in it. He might not even let me open it or know what's in it once he gets here." The blonde justified her future actions.

She picked up the letter and carefully opened the seal. After the envelope was open she slide the small index card free, the block letters revealing to her the unknown person's message.

'_All the King's horses, and all the King's men  
>couldn't put Nobu Kobayashi back together again.<em>

_You're welcome Alexandra,  
>?'<em>

A feeling of dread washed over Alex like a rogue wave. The blonde felt as if she were about to be washed away. Dragged deeper and further into the dark waters by a relentless current of emotional turmoil. She tried to fight against the tide that was sweeping her away into a state of panic, but the pull was to strong. Tears spilled from her eyes as Alex reached for the small package that she recognized as a jewelry box. A long rectangular case one might keep a bracelet or necklace in. She swallowed a sob that threatened to escape her throat. The letter rattled in her hand as her body shook terribly. After setting the paper back onto the bed, she brushed her fingers against the velvet covering of the case.

The weight of the jewelry box was light. She didn't suspect that it was going to be heavy but it almost felt empty. Alex fought the urge to shake the case, like a child on Christmas thinking they could figure out the identity of the item inside without opening the package. Once again, Ryan's voice repeated in her head to not open it. To wait until he arrived. Alex couldn't stop though, she needed to see what was inside. Her curiosity screamed so loud it drowned the Detective's voice out. It reminded her of Brad Pitt in the movie Seven, begging Morgan Freeman to tell him, 'What's in the box?!'

Without further hesitation she opened the lid and a severed finger greeted her from inside the jewelry case. Blood had stained the velvet lining inside, and it made Alex wonder if this was freshly cut. That Nobu Kobayashi, whom she assumed the finger belonged to, was possibly alive. But then she remembered the photo that was included with the first letter. There was no way the person in that photograph was alive with the amount of wounds they had received.

The smell of rotting and decomposition reached her nostrils and Alex felt the room spin. She thought she heard a woman scream in the far off distance, but the ringing in her ears caused from the rapid beating of her heart had muted her own shriek of terror. A black fog started to outline her vision and she saw the jewelry box fall from her hands in slow motion, but instead of seeing the case fall further away from her, it was falling beside her. The blackness swallowed her whole and everything around her disappeared.

The plastic bag rustled against the Styrofoam container as Olivia sat it upon the desk in her hotel room. The brunette journalist felt exhausted after the events of the day. Actually the last few days. She couldn't think of a time, let alone such a short time span, where her emotions were all over the place. Olivia Benson wasn't a crier. But she had cried more times lately then she had in years. She had not been this angry since she had to be held back by her interpreter in the Congo after witnessing a grown man beat a child for failing to shoot a rival member of an opposing tribe. That in actuality was the closest she came to dying. If she had not been restrained she would have confronted the African Guerilla soldier. A number of consequences would have transpired, all with her death being the final result. The real question was what would happen to her before she took her final breath? Various scenarios included being beaten to a pulp and gang raped.

It was also the most confused Olivia had been in all her life. Alexandra Hamilton Cabot was the most infuriating person she had ever met, but she was also the most interesting. When they were talking about their article, they bounced off of each other like a seasoned pair of Detectives interrogating a suspect. They could almost communicate without saying a word. With just a look, they could speak volumes. She had enjoyed their initial jokes and teasing with one another, and it evolved into competitive game of one-upmanship that she absolutely had a blast with.

Then there was the big fat pink elephant in the room. Olivia's out of control growing attraction toward the blonde. She had fallen hard and fast, and she had no idea how it happened. When Alex had invited her to go running and show the new arrival around the city, she felt like the plain Jane teen asked by the starting quarterback prom king on a date.

"It's also a good thing it's going to be an active date." Olivia looked at her takeout containing another jalapeño hamburger. "Cause I need to run off these extra calories. These things are going to be the death of me, or at least the reason I will need a lap band surgery."

"Wait, did I just call it a date?" The brunette realized her Freudian slip. "Don't delude yourself Benson, even though Alex has flirted back, there is no way she was seriously hitting on you. It's all part of her master plan to keep me on edge."

"And why am I talking to myself out loud all alone? Sigmund Freud would being salivating if he saw me right now." She stated as she pulled her dinner out.

"Why the hell do I keep doing it then?" She asked herself.

Olivia took a bit of the sinfully delicious burger before taking her laptop from her shoulder bag. As it booted up she partook some of the melted cheese covered tater tots. After moaning in gluttonous pleasure she typed with greasy fingers into her various emails.

After scrolling through her new email, she sighed seeing that there still was no word from her contacts. Olivia expected at least one 'fuck off', or 'if you value your life you will stop digging.' The journalist was realistic, it would be an absolute miracle if anything useful would be sent to her. So with another bite of her greasy dinner, the brunette started to research for as much information as she could get on Latino gang culture and the history of MS-13 and La Eme.

Alex thought she heard her name called from a far off distance. It reminded her of when her mother called out from the back door for her to come in for dinner. It usually took her mother almost going hoarse before the dirt and grass stained blonde would come barreling out of the woods with a smile on her face. That would be followed by an exasperated sigh from her mom shooing her little girl to wash up before eating.

However, right now Alex felt like she had fallen down a deep well. She could only see a bright pin prick of light surrounded by black. Another yell echoed down the well, calling out her name. She tried to call back but nothing came out but a gargle. Alex felt like she was drowning in the cold water. Her body shivered as she tried to reach out her arm for help, only to find that it didn't move. She was trapped. Suddenly the voice was louder and it seemed so close but how could it? She was so far away, but the voice almost sounded right near her ear.

"Alex!" Ryan shouted as he tried to rouse the blonde.

Alex tried to respond but all she could do was expel a groan followed by a string of gibberish. She was pleasantly surprised to find she could move her head and her extremities.

"That's my girl," Ryan encouraged her with a stroke to her cheek.

"I… am not…" Alex's corrected the possessive statement. "Your girl… You… arrogant ass."

Her blue eyes fluttered open and Ryan Jordan's image slowly focused from a blurry outline to crystal clear shape. The blonde furrowed her brow at the muscular bared chested man bent over her.

"Why the hell aren't you wearing a shirt?" Alex glared.

"Oh that," Ryan laughed and sat back on his heels. "Well, you're lucky I'm not naked."

"What do you mean naked?!" Alex shrieked.

Alex sat up too fast, and caused a severe bought of vertigo to claw at her brain. The room spun and Ryan had to move quickly to cradle her before she fell back to the floor.

"Whoa there Alex. I think you hit your head when you passed out." Ryan explained. "Here let me just…"

The Detective didn't finish his statement with words, but with his actions. He carefully guided Alex across the floor over to the bed side and let her lean back on the side of her bed against the mattress.

"Alex just breath and no sudden movements okay? The EMT's are on their way, and officers are going through your trash heap for clues." Ryan knelt down next to her.

"It's not a fucking trash heap, it's my apartment. And since when do books, clothes and newspapers equate to garbage?" Alex growled.

"When they are buried under old food cartons and various trash. You were never this sloppy before Lexie." Ryan stated.

"Don't," The blonde ordered. "Ever call me that. It's Alex or Alex Cabot to you, got it? We aren't a couple and never will be, okay?!"

Alex noticed the look of hurt that graced his chiseled features. He looked like a puppy she had just kicked to the curb.

"Yeah okay," Ryan stood up and looked away. "Um, let me get you a drink."

"Ryan," Alex sighed. "Don't be like this…"

"EMTs. We were called because someone needs medical attention?" A tall skinny male asked.

He walked into her room with a short stocky woman. They reminded Alex of Laurel and Hardy, if Hardy had been a woman. Unfortunately, she had Oliver Hardy's mustache.

"Yes, I did. She passed out and possibly hit her head. I also noticed her ankle is swollen and even though she didn't think I saw it, she flinched when I touched her hip when moving her to lean back on the bed." Ryan told in a clipped tone.

'_Great, he is resorting back to high school and he sounds like a jilted guy that isn't used to hearing no._' She thought as she shook her head in annoyance, only to regret it when the action caused her head to throb.

Alex knew that by the time the EMTs had finished wrapping her ankle, checked her bruised hip, and tested her to see if she had suffered a concussion after hitting her head, they were more than happy to get the hell out of the angry bitch's apartment. Ryan had come back with a glass of water with some pain killers for her and then had taken up residence against the wall across from where Alex sat on her bed. His green eyes stared a hole right through the blonde as the EMTs treated her, and kept staring after they left. Thankfully the crime scene techs had already been through her room otherwise she would have felt claustrophobic and quite exposed in her short silk robe.

"You tainted evidence." Ryan stated coldly.

"No 'How are you Alex?'" The blonde rolled her eyes at his childish behavior.

"What the hell is wrong with you Alex?" The Detective huffed and started pacing in front of her. "I saw the phone on the bathroom floor. I saw damage done to the door. I saw the bath that is still filled with water. You were in the bathroom, door apparently locked. What possessed you to stupidly leave the safety of that room, to venture off into your bedroom when the intruder was clearly after you?"

"Apparently a lot is wrong with me from your perspective. You've already condemned me as stupid. And how was I supposed to know that letter was evidence." Alex knew she was being petty, but Ryan had pissed her off.

"I'm serious Alex. Is this a game to you? Are threatening letters and severed fingers a joke to you?" Ryan practically shoved the items in the evidence bags in her face.

"Fuck you Ryan!" Alex spat as she stood from the bed to confront the cop. "I knew it was a mistake to call you. You know, you're right. I must be insane when I'm scared for my life and some psycho is trying to attack me, I called for your help. Next time I will call 911."

"Next time?" Ryan decided to respond with sarcasm. "You plan on this becoming an annual event?

"You know what? Get the hell out of my apartment!" Alex held her head with the ice pack the EMTs had left to ice her hip to fight off the migraine.

"I can't Lexie," Ryan shrunk away from the icy glare she gave him. "I mean, I can't Alex. You aren't safe. Plus I need to get your statement."

"First of all, a police detail out front should be enough to scare off this freak. Second, I don't need you here, DETECTIVE JORDAN." Alex enunciated his title and name over dramatically.

"You want my statement? Here it is. Some asshole has sent me three threatening letters. After ignoring their warnings they apparently felt it necessary to scare the hell out of me. So imbecile me forgot to lock the door, and took a bath. The psycho came into my apartment, tried to open the bathroom door. I slipped on the wet floor hurting my ankle and hip as I barricaded the door. And in my state of stupidity, I called an incompetent Detective for help. After a while the psycho apparently left. The phone I used to call the incompe…" Alex was cut off by Ryan's glare. His eyes saying to knock off the attitude.

"Fine, the phone I used to call the Detective died due to a low battery. I then risked my life to get to the land line phone in my bedroom to call for help. I thoroughly searched my room while staying aware if I heard a noise that would show he was still in my apartment. I saw no personage in my room so I locked my door and stuck a chair under the knob. But you know that from having to break it down to get to me. I expect to be reimbursed for that by the way. And I noticed the letter and jewelry case. I opened the letter and opened the case to find the finger. Then I passed out only to awaken later to an ogre standing over me." Alex gritted her teeth as she explained her statement.

"Why would you touch the evidence, Miss Cabot?" Ryan asked while writing in his notebook. He was now wearing a technician's jacket to cover his bare torso.

"Because I wanted to know what was inside." Alex said in a mocking manner.

Ryan sighed. "Did anyone else touch either of the evidence?"

"Of course they did," The blonde kept up with the sarcasm. "After calling you I invited a plethora of people to walk into my home and bedroom to fiddle with the evidence. Oh wait, I was out cold on my floor until you came along. So how the hell am I supposed to know if anyone touched it but me?"

"Keep this up Miss Cabot and I will arrest you for being a hostile witness," the Detective threatened still clearly hurt from Alex's brush off and her attitude.

"Fine, I apologize," Alex huffed.

"You said three letters. For me I only know of two. When did you get the third? Or second?" Ryan inquired.

"I got it at The Sentinel, if you bring my satchel to me, I will show you. It's by the door. You know what it looks like," Alex told.

"Jenson, can you grab me Miss Cabot's bag by the door, its tan and well used," Ryan called out for one of the techs to retrieve the bag.

When the tech brought the satchel, Ryan asked him for some gloves as well. He snapped the latex gloves onto his hands and he began to search in Alex's bag for the letter.

"It should be in the front pocket." Alex pointed out.

Ryan searched the pocket and failed to find the letter. "It's not here Alex."

"I put it in the front pocket Ryan," Alex was confused. She was sure she it was there.

"Wait, I got it. It was in the second pocket." Ryan announced.

'_I didn't put it there…' _Alex remembered it was definitely in the front pocket.

Ryan looked at the card first. He read the message, before looking on the back. After seeing that side was blank he put the envelope in one evidence bag and the letter in another. He took a long look at the red haired woman in the photograph.

"Do you know her?" Ryan asked.

"No," Alex answered.

He slipped it into the evidence bag and dismissed the technician. The man named Jensen left with the three bags, leaving the two alone once again.

"How many people came into contact with this one Alex?" Ryan prepared to write in his notebook.

"Myself, our mail room attendant Ken Randall, and Elizabeth Donnelly," Alex revealed. "And get into the, I tainted evidence again please?"

"Ken Randall, Fin's kid?" Ryan's interest rose.

"It wasn't him Ryan," Alex knew what he was getting at.

"He is a well-known gang banger Alex," Ryan accused.

"Former. He doesn't live that life anymore. He has a successful business and a son about to go to college. With my foundation giving him a scholarship. I highly doubt he would do something to me after all that." Alex explained.

"We'll see," Ryan kept writing.

"Are we done now?" Alex was starting to get angry.

"For now, yes." Ryan knew that the blonde had reached her limit. "Alex I really don't think you should be alone."

"Ryan, I will be fine. But thank you for offering, and caring about my well-being. Really, thank you." Alex smiled at him.

"Will you call a friend to come over at least?" Ryan asked. "For me? It would ease my mind if you did, please?"

Alex really didn't want to call anyone over. But if it got him out of her apartment she would promise to call someone. Didn't mean she would invite anyone over.

"I will call someone," Alex agreed to at least that.

"Thank you," Ryan smiled. "No more risks, got it? And lock the door after we leave, and don't open it until your friend arrives."

"Got it," Alex smiled back and followed Ryan down the hall to the front door.

The crime scene techs had finished and had left, while the uniforms were stationed at the front and rear entrances of the building. After saying their goodbyes, Alex locked the door and walked back to her bedroom. She ripped off all the sheets and pillow cases off leaving the bed bare. She refused to ever use those linens again and she was already planning to buy a new mattress along with new more secure locks on her doors. The blonde didn't want to call anyone but now that she was really alone, she changed her mind. She was scared. Tears were already forming in her eyes, and she could feel her heart rate increase along with her fear. Alex swallowed her pride and picked up the phone. Before she even started the blonde stalled.

'_Who the hell do I call? Liz? Hell no. I don't need the overprotectiveness she will clearly show if she knew about tonight, and of course she would bitch about the article and deadline. I can't risk Ken's safety by getting him further involved then he is with handling the second letter. He was just doing his job and bam, now he is a suspect. Fin is so busy with his bar and worrying about Ken, I can't put any more stress on him. Don is a definite no. If I was worried about stressing Fin out, well that goes triple to poppy. And in no way will Munch ever KNOW where I live. God, do I not have any friends?" _Alex felt a pang of sadness at this realization.

Alex rubbed her eyes to fight the tears of self-pity away. She was such a loser. She didn't keep in touch with any of her high school friends, or even her college roommate. The other journalists at the paper were the closest things she had to family now that her father is gone. As she started going through the list of people she could call from The Sentinel, she noticed the writing on her hand. She had forgotten about the numbers that had been stained on her skin. Alex bit her lip and after debating the pros and cons, she finally caved.

She would call Olivia.

"How the fuck am I going to do this?" Olivia groaned.

The reporter had realized after reading article after article on the rules and laws of La Eme and its subsidiaries, her plan of infiltrating the gang to get close to Hector's brother Mateo was almost impossible. '_Alex was right. This is basically a suicide mission. It would take me forever to gain trust. And even if I was able to, I would basically be on their kill on sight list forever.'_

Olivia took her empty food carton and tossed it in the small trash can near the kitchenette. She ran her fingers through her short brown strands. After thoroughly tousling her hair, she padded toward the bathroom. Rolling her eyes at the miniature travel tooth brush Olivia debated calling the hotel front desk to see if they had any toiletries and hygiene products for sale. Detouring back to the room phone she picked up the receiver and before she could dial, her cell phone started to ring.

The number on her iPhone was unfamiliar, except for the area code to the brunette. She wasn't in the habit of giving her number out, so it must have been Elizabeth or Alex calling her. Olivia suspected the former. '_Probably wondering if we've made any head way yet. If it is her, I am not looking forward to this...'_

"This is Olivia Benson," the young woman announced.

"Liv?" A voice whispered quietly.

"Lex, is that you?" Olivia asked.

"Uh, yeah. It is," Alex meekly answered.

"Alex, are you okay? It's past midnight." Olivia looked at her watch.

"Oh. Oh God, I didn't even realize. I didn't wake you did I? Never mind, I will talk to you tomorrow. I'm sorry for calling so late," Alex apologized and quickly back peddled.

"Don't hang up!" Olivia shouted then flinched realizing how loud she was.

Olivia waited for a response. There was no telltale click that would sound if Alex had hung up on her, but there was a tiny sniff and a sigh in the background.

'_Is she crying?' _Olivia wondered after hearing what sounded like a sob.

Something was definitely not right. Alex Cabot never sounded meek and the blonde's demeanor was almost as if in the last few hours, she had become brittle. That even speaking could cause her to shatter. Olivia felt how vulnerable Alex was by the sound of her voice. And even before agreeing to go back to Alex's apartment, she was grabbing her keys and purse.

"Lex, I am on my way okay?" Olivia left her room and headed down the hall toward the stairwell. "Do you want me to stay on the phone with you while I make my way over there?"

"Olivia don't worry about it, k. I just… don't come over. I am sorry for bothering you." Alex hung up suddenly.

"Alex!" Olivia called out. "Fucking Christ!"

She redialed the number and growled when the busy tone mocked her. The brunette tried again while she quickly stepped down the stairs only to get the same result. Olivia threw her phone onto the passenger seat of the rented sedan and after revving the engine, she peeled out into the street. She didn't care if she got pulled over for speeding, Alex Cabot, her partner, was not okay and Olivia needed to get to her as soon as she possibly could.

Alex set the portable phone back on its charger, and walked over to her dresser to find some actual clothes to wear. She had chosen long flannel pajama bottoms and an old Northwestern sweat shirt. The events that had taken place tonight left Alex feeling frozen inside and out. The blonde had passed out soaking wet and when she had regained consciousness she was chilled to the bone, and after the adrenaline rush she was depleted of her energy reserves.

Deciding that maybe some hot tea would help warm her up and possibly relax her, Alex made her way to the kitchen purposefully avoiding the damaged door to the bathroom. She filled her tea kettle and set it on the oven to boil. Alex realized that whomever this was that had been so desperate to gain her attention had felt the need to send her severed body parts, threaten innocent people, and break into her home and terrorize her, would never give up until they got an answer.

The blonde walked back to her room and grabbed the red lipstick that was mentioned in the first letter from her vanity. She stood by the window looking out. Alex shivered as she realized that they could be watching her right now. Waiting to see if she would answer. She thought about the option of marking an X on the pane of glass and pass this nightmare onto another journalist, but she derailed that train of thought immediately. Alex could not do that to someone else. She would carry this burden herself. Though the reporter was scared to death, she pressed the lipstick on the window and crossed the point of no return.

Alex stood back from the glass and sighed while taking in the big red question mark she had made. She felt like she just sold her soul to the devil himself. The whistle from her kettle reminded her of the boiling water she had abandoned in the kitchen. Returning once again to the kitchen, Alex took the kettle off the heat and turned the oven off. She poured the hot water into a big mug and dropped in a tea bag she had bought at a local new age market called passionflower from Asia. It was supposed to decrease anxiety and was almost a substitute for Xanax. She let it sit in the mug for the amounted time for the herbs to soak and took a long sip letting the heated flavored liquid warm her insides. As she was about to sit on her couch, a knock on her door made her freeze. She grew terrified once again. The blonde felt she was back in her bathroom with that psycho trying to get to her.

"Alex? It's Olivia." The feminine voice announced.

Her partner's voice brought Alex out of her flashback.

'_She came? Why did she come over? I told her not too," _Alex thought to herself.

Olivia knocked once again. This time with a bit more force. This extra force caused the blonde to shake and bit her lip to keep from crying and returning to that room and moment.

"Alex, please? Can you open the door? I'm worried," Olivia begged from the other side of the door. "You sounded scared. Like something happened. Please let me in?" She pleaded.

After taking a few breathes to calm herself Alex walked to the door and leaving the sliding lock locked, she peaked her blue eyes out.

"I told you to not come Olivia." Alex tried to sound strong and sure, but it came out vulnerable and scared.

"Actually, you asked me to come over and then retracted the invite probably because you were embarrassed about not wanting to be alone. Now, will you let me in? Or do I have to break the door down?" Olivia mock threatened with a smile.

"No, please don't!" Alex gasped.

The blonde stepped away almost slamming the door in the brunette's face, but Olivia had prepared for this outcome by wedging her foot in between the door and frame.

"OW! Damnit," The brunette cursed. "That hurt. I didn't mean to scare you Lex, I'm sorry. Please. Let me in?"

Alex noticed Olivia had propped open her door with her foot, and that she had now smashed it.

"Move your foot," Alex demanded softly.

Olivia sighed in defeat and slid her foot free. She was about to walk away when she heard the locks rattle and the door squeak open.

"Come in," Alex invited her in.

**AN: Thank you to all those that reviewed and support me and my story. This story really means a lot to me and hope someday to get it published after putting original characters in it. Please any suggestions and anything you guys catch in continuity or just anything that is wrong or confusing please tell me.**

**Thank you to the wonderful Cabson for the Beta work. You are amazing.**

**Lastly, GO SEAHAWKS!**


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